Top celebrity chef Raymond Blanc set nearly 1,000 runners on their way in this year’s Oxford Mail OX5 RUN on Sunday March 25.
The run, held for its tenth year, and raising money for the Children’s Hospital, on a very unseasonably hot day on Sunday, was started by a very enthusiastic Mr Blanc, owner of Le Manoir aux’Quat Saisons restaurant, and Oxford United‘s chairman, Kelvin Thomas, who had rallied a team of United fans and staff to run, including TV’s Jim Rosenthal and manager, Chris Wilder along with the club’s mascot, Olly the Ox.
Andrew, who once again had runners taking part in this year’s five-mile run, organised by the Oxford Mail, was introduced to Raymond, above, as he prepared to sound off the starting horn, at the beautiful surroundings of Blenheim Palace’s park gardens. Raymond has pledged to run next year’s charity run, which last year raised £60,000 for paying for a range of top notch medical equipment at the hospital, including a chill-out room for teenage cancer patients, and a mobile intensive care unit.
Andrew hopes to gain the support of Mr Blanc by attracting a raffle prize for July’s charity football tournament fundraising day for the Children’s Hospital.
Watch videos of this year’s OX5 Run 2012: