Go On Saz Pants!
(The Power of Encouragement)

It’s the time of year when we hear about the BBC Children in Need annual appeal. Each year, huge sums of money are raised to support charities and organisations doing vital work with children throughout the UK.

Most years they get some of the presenters involved in some sort of challenge and this year its Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox, who has the unenviable task of running 5 marathons in 5 days to complete a 135 mile journey from Kielder Forest, near the Scottish Borders, to Pudsey in Leeds.

She began on Monday morning and hopes to finish on Friday, and there are regular updates on BBC Radio 2 and across the network.

Sara has a bubbly positive personality on the radio and presents a teatime show from 4-7pm from Monday to Friday. One of the shows on a Friday is called ‘All Request Friday,’ and she encourages listeners to call in, or email a request, and choose the song they would like to get on the radio for the person they are sending a shout out to. It can be everything from birthdays to anniversaries to celebrating some special event they are going to, but the conversations are always cheerful and full of fun.

There’s a feature on her show where she invites listeners to register and prove that they are ‘teavoted’ to listening to her teatime show. When she phones, the person taking the call has to answer the call with the phrase she has given as the special phrase for that week. If you answer with anything other than the special phrase you don’t get the grand prize, a Sara Cox show mug! These mugs are desperately sought after and, as the phrase is usually a bit ridiculous, there’s always the underlying danger that a listener might reply to a very serious call that is work related with a completely inappropriate phrase, or sing a line of a song, or whatever she has designated as the phrase for that particular week.

Last week, in preparation for her gruelling challenge, the phrase was ‘Go on Saz pants’ and most of the people I heard picking up that call from a withheld number answered with great gusto and, as you hear these things from time to time as you are driving, they always make you smile.

One of the very moving aspects of the Children in Need appeal is that you hear first hand from the individuals and families that have benefitted from the work of the charities being supported through this appeal. I found myself wiping away tears as I heard about the work of a children’s hospice who have helped a Dad  and his daughter through the unimaginable sadness of losing a son and brother to a progressive degenerative illness. As they bravely shared their story, you realise just how vital this fundraising endeavour is and the difference it makes in the lives of real people dealing with the most terrible things.

In the build up to the challenge, Sara spoke of her own personal experience of being bullied at school because of the shape of her legs, and how difficult this experience was. She spoke about mental health and those who often make other people’s lives a misery. She spoke, too, of how youth clubs and charities, like those funded by Children in Need, can be such a lifeline as they support counselling and activities that help people to reclaim their confidence.

Throughout the day, other presenters check in on Sara and how she is getting on and update her on the amount of money being raised. It’s certainly a tough, tough challenge and, today, she was battling driving rain and wind and steep hills on her journey. It would be easy to give in and stop, but she keeps battling on, supported by the messages and donations and acts of kindness of the Radio 2 listeners. One woman, hearing she has a cold and is losing her voice, drove 60 miles to see her pass by and bring her some honey and give her a hug. Children are lining the villages and towns she runs through as she passes their school. Listeners are donating money they were putting towards a holiday, or a treat, as they hear about the projects and the total investment Sara is putting into such a hardcore challenge.

In my thirties, I did 2 marathons to do some fundraising for some charities that were particularly important to me. I remember the long hours of training and the effort that went into preparing for doing one marathon. It’s beyond my comprehension how someone might do 5 in 5 days but, hopefully, with the constant stream of messages, donations and support, she will get to her destination on Friday.

As the coverage is so comprehensive, I get pretty constant coverage as I get into the car at different times of the day. It’s a beautiful news story to get connected to because, for me, it captures the very best of the human spirit. I’m moved by the bravery of this woman who is putting herself through this gruelling challenge because of the importance of these projects that need finance and resources to keep going. I’m touched by the phenomenal generosity of the listeners and the heartbreaking and beautiful stories of those who use these services and the inspiring work that they do. I love the messages that I hear read out encouraging Sara to keep going and dig in and get through another day.

Wouldn’t it be something if we could bottle some of this wonderful community spirit and see it in the lives of our churches? I’m often moved by the life of the local church when it is functioning well. People come together to pray for, to support those going through difficult times. Churches, at times, raise money to send to communities and places experiencing the worst of times. People call in or phone or drop a card or leave a meal on the doorstep, and it’s a reminder of the beautiful reality that’s at the heart of our faith. We are all involved in building a kingdom where God’s values of love, self sacrifice and the pursuit of a just and fairer world are to the forefront. It’s called the Kingdom of God.

I’m grateful to the irrepressible Sara Cox and the Children in Need challenge for reminding me of these things.

Go on Saz pants! You’ve got this.

Much love to everyone,

Jono.

Listen to the latest episode of ‘Bitesize Chunks of Faith’