BT Sport unveils Ross Noble’s ‘Riding to the Rescue’
Comedian and biker Ross Noble features in a heart-warming documentary about his mission to support health workers in Zambia - The Supporters Club: Ross Noble Riding to the Rescue, which premieres on Thursday November 14 on BT Sport 1 at 6.30pm.
The documentary features Riders for Health, the latest charity to receive money raised by The Supporters Club. This is BT Sport’s charitable initiative set up to help create better futures for young people facing incredibly tough challenges.
Riders for Health provide motorbikes for health workers in Zambia, reducing time it takes them to reach families and children. For the next two years, money raised by The Supporters Club will help bring life-saving healthcare services to 190,000 extra people living in some of Zambia’s most isolated communities.
In the documentary, Ross rides through the Zambian bush for three days to deliver a new bike. Ross approaches the mission with the wit and humour that he has become so well-known for; however, his serious commitment and passion for the cause is clear as he meets families living in poverty while riding alongside health-worker Tambo Banda.
The documentary sees Ross delivering a new bike to Tambo, which means Tambo can reach more people, more often, when providing resources such as HIV tests for new-born babies and treatment to purify dirty water. Almost one in ten of Zambia’s children will not live to see their fifth birthday, but the majority of these deaths could be prevented. Too often these children just cannot be reached.
The charity trains and supports health workers to maintain the bikes – meaning that the benefits are sustainable.
Andrea Coleman, CEO of Riders for Health, said: “Transport isn’t a glamorous subject, but it’s an essential one – because in rural Africa, even the simple act of changing a spark plug really can save lives. Thanks to this support, we are helping make sure that health workers in Zambia have the transport they need to get healthcare on the road, and out to where it is needed most”.
BT is covering the costs of The Supporters Club fund, which is managed by Comic Relief. This means every pound will work as hard as possible to change lives. The documentaries featuring some of the projects benefiting can be viewed on BT Sport and online - allowing viewers to see the difference their donations are making.
The Supporters Club is also supporting:
• Street Games: a sports charity that changes lives and communities. It does this by supporting projects that give sports and volunteering opportunities to young people in disadvantaged communities across the UK.
• Dallaglio Foundation Rugby for Change: UK wide charity that uses rugby to teach sporting values and give young people structure and support; working to get young people back into education or employment.
• Riding for the Disabled Association: UK wide charity that uses horse riding to provide therapy to disabled children, young people and adults.
• Karunalaya: a charity in Chennai, India, using sport to help street children access healthcare.
• IBISS: a charity working in the toughest 60 slum communities in Rio de Janeiro, using football schools to reach out to vulnerable children and provide them with education and health services.
• Caretakers of the Environment: a charity in Tanzania which helps street children escape lives of hardship and violence through football and education.
BT Sport customers who wish to join The Supporters Club can send a text with the word ‘JOIN’ followed by their home phone number to 82010, to add £1 a month to their BT bill. For full T&Cs and more information visit www.thesupportersclub.org or follow @supporters on twitter. The Supporters Club fund is managed by Comic Relief, registered charity No. 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).
Thousands of BT Sport customers kindly give £1, £3, or £5 a month and BT doubles each donation, pound for pound, up to a total of £1 million. The Supporters Club fund is managed by Comic Relief, registered charity No. 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).
Enquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369. Email: newsroom@bt.com.
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