Ex-BBC Radio 1 Presenter’s Children in Need Challenge Heads to Ripley
Former BBC Radio 1 breakfast show host Sara Cox will visit Ripley Town Hall as part of her 135-mile fundraising journey for Children in Need. The BBC Radio 2 drivetime presenter is walking and running from Kielder Forest in Northumberland to Pudsey in Leeds to support the annual charity appeal.
Lancashire-born Cox, whose shows attract millions of listeners, plans to arrive at Ripley Town Hall on Thursday, November 13, between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., depending on her pace along the route.
Earlier this year, the Ripley community successfully purchased the town hall for £400,000. In celebration of Cox’s visit, the hall will open its bar and serve her hot drinks and refreshments.
Having worked in broadcasting for nearly three decades, Cox has set herself the ambitious mission of personally delivering the Children in Need mascot, Pudsey Bear, to his hometown of Pudsey.
Sara Cox rose to fame in December 1999 when she succeeded Zoe Ball as the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show presenter. During her tenure, audience numbers increased from 6.9 million to 7.8 million, marking the highest breakfast show ratings in the station’s history.
“Children in Need will take place on Friday, November 14,” according to BBC Radio 2, which continues to track Sara’s progress on her Great Northern Marathon Challenge.
Author’s Summary
Sara Cox’s 135-mile charity trek across the North brings her to Ripley, where locals celebrate her dedication to Children in Need and her long-standing impact on UK radio.