LEISURE centres in the borough are gearing up to raise funds for this year’s Sport Relief.

The fundraising event, mainly taking place from Friday to Sunday, brings family, friends and communities together to have fun and raise life-changing cash.

This year, the focus will be on the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, with over 1,000 running, swimming and cycling events being held across the UK.

At The Hurst Leisure Centre, in Brimpton Road, Baughurst, people can take part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on Sunday.

Participants are asked to dig out a fancy dress costume to walk, jog or run one, three or six miles through tranquil country lanes. Afterwards, there will be entertainment on offer all day.

Basingstoke Sports Centre, in Festival Place, and Basingstoke Aquadrome, at the Leisure Park, are both hosting a Sport Relief Swimathon on Saturday.

Entrants can swim as individuals or in a team, and pick a distance of 1.5km, 2.5km or 5km.

The Swimathon can also be completed at Tadley Pool from Friday to Sunday. Entry is open for all events at .

Celebrities getting involved in this year’s Sport Relief effort include football legend David Beckham, who will be appearing in a one-off sketch of Only Fools and Horses, with Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst.

Money raised over the weekend will be spent by Comic Relief, to change lives at home and abroad.

n Let us know what you’re doing for this year’s Sport Relief by emailing the newsdesk on newsdesk@basingstokegazette.co.uk or call 01256 337444.