Olympic runner Paula Radcliffe will star in a TV advertising campaign for Tesco encouraging a million women to take part in this year’s Race for Life.

The 5km run for Cancer Research UK is the country’s largest women-only fundraising event. Its organisers hope to raise up to £80m this year.

Tesco, which sponsors the event, said up to 20,000 staff could take part across more than 300 events taking place around the UK this summer.

“An incredible 5.4 million women have taken part in Race for Life to date, helping many to recover from cancer as a result of the £362m we have raised together for Cancer Research UK,” said Tesco corporate affairs director Lucy Neville-Rolfe.

“This year we’re aiming to reach more women than ever before. We hope the advert will help us to recruit a million women and raise £80m to fund life-saving work.”

Radcliffe (pictured), who is a Race for Life ambassador, added: “It’s fantastic to be a part of such a great event. I’ve been supporting Tesco and Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life for many years and I’d love to see us reach our ambitious goal of recruiting one million women.”

She added: “It’s such an inspiration to see so many women take part to support such a vital cause.”

To find out more about Race for Life 2011 visit www.raceforlife.org/tesco or call 0871 641 1111.

Read more
Tesco ups its Race for Life involvement (3 December 2010)
Race for Life runners pioneer Tesco social networking site (22 April 2010)

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