Jill Scott ‘honoured’ to do 388-mile cycle and run challenge for Sport Relief

Former Lioness Jill Scott has said she is “honoured” to take part in a five-day cycle and marathon challenge for Sport Relief.

The former Manchester City midfielder, who won 161 caps for England, will take on the fundraising challenge in June to help raise money for the charity.

Scott will aim to cover 388 miles from London’s Wembley Stadium, the site of her historic 2022 Euros win with the Lionesses, all the way to her home town club at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

Former Lioness Jill Scott will take on a five-day challenge to raise funds for Sport Relief (Madeleine Penfold/Comic Relief/PA)

Setting off on Monday June 8, the five-day challenge will see Scott journey up North, stopping at football stadiums and community hubs that have been a part of Scott’s life and career.

Speaking to the Press Association, Scott said: “It’s a real honour that they’ve asked me to do it.

“I feel honoured, like out of so many people that could have been chosen for this, I’m the one that gets to go out there and try and raise as much money as possible.

“I’m 100% committed to finishing it, because I really want to try and make a difference to people.”

The five-day challenge will see Scott visit Aston Villa, Everton, Man City, plus grassroots community team Bishop Auckland FC Ladies.

She will also be joined by a few familiar faces as the former footballing star completes the challenge, meeting people from Sport Relief-funded projects and seeing the impact sport has had on people’s lives.

Jill Scott will cover 388 miles by cycling and running (Khalil Musa/Comic Relief/PA)

The former footballer emphasised the importance of youth clubs and access to sport, adding that if she did not have the support network she had when she was younger, she would have never been able to “fulfil” her dream of playing for England and win the 2022 Euros which she described as being the “best day of my life”.

She said: “(As) a young girl, I really had to rely on coaches and PE teachers and people like that to guide me on my journey of wanting to be a footballer.

“I was so lucky that I was offered safe spaces to play football and I was offered these incredible teachers and coaches who I could trust and who could help me, but there’s so many young people that don’t get those opportunities.

“A lot of young people say they feel lonely, they feel disconnected. That’s definitely something that Sport Relief really do help with – giving kids a sense of belonging, a purpose.

“I would just urge people, if you are in a position to help, please make sure you do, because without those green spaces, without those youth clubs, I would never have gone on to fulfil my dreams of playing for England.

“I never even thought it was going to be an opportunity.”

Reflecting on the growth in women’s football, Scott added: “Times have definitely changed, definitely.

Jill Scott will cover 388 miles by cycling and running (Madeleine Penfold/Comic Relief/PA)

“Even when I went and visited this project in Southwick Snyp (Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Project in Sunderland), there was the same amount of girls playing as there was boys and I didn’t even really think about it until I walked away. But the fact that I didn’t think about it, I was like, that’s how far we’ve come.

“I love that there’s more opportunities for girls as well as boys in the footballing world, but even outside of that as well, just kind of kids having the opportunities to make new friends, and that’s what these hubs really do create.”

The challenge will see Scott set off on day one, Monday June 8, with a 112-mile bike ride from Wembley Stadium to Villa Park before tackling another 99-mile ride to Everton Hill Dickinson Stadium on day two.

Day three will see Scott complete a 38 mile run into Manchester before a Tour-de France style 111-mile cycle to the North East on day four.

The challenge will finish on the Friday June 12 with a 28-mile marathon finish to the Stadium of Light.

Jill Scott’s Coming Home Challenge for Sport Relief can be tracked on Comic Relief’s website. To make a donation visit www.comicrelief.com/jillscott.