This Sunday (13th September) sees the return of the Great North Run and four CWB supporters will be pounding the course to raise funds for our ambassadors programme.

Joining the legendary Mo Farah, the fabulous four will tackle the 13.1 mile course from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields. The Great North Run has now become the world’s leading half marathon and it is the first time that CWB have had charity spots in the event.

Three of the four runners were inspired to run (or bullied into it!!) by CWB Operations Manager Hannah Weaver whose children attend the same school as theirs.

First up is Matthew Jones.

Matt has previous experience of the GNR having completed it few years ago. “A few years back my brother and I decided to challenge ourselves and each other to have a crack at the Great North Run. To this day it has been one of the best things I have ever done. So when I was approached by Hannah Weaver to take part in the 2015 Great North Run for the brilliant charity Cricket Without Boundaries (CWB) I jumped at the chance.”

Joining Matt are fellow school parents Laura and Scott Ballinger.

Laura, has been running for nearly 10 years and this year completed her first ever London Marathon. A mother of two and full time Education and Business Consultant, Laura enjoys running in her spare time. She was keen to complete both London Marathon and the Great North Run in the same year and is privileged to be running the Great North on behalf of Cricket without Boundaries. Laura said “I have been inspired by the work of the charity and the people the charity helps around the globe.”

Scott has been running for the last 25 years, this year he completed the London Marathon in 3 hours and 10 minutes, his first ever marathon!

Scott has wanted to complete the Great North Run for a number of years, after completing so many other races around the country. Scott is really keen to use is running talent to represent Cricket without Boundaries and hopes to complete the race in less than 1 and a half hours.

The final runner is All Out Crickets Sam Stowe. Sam said “Having worked at All Out Cricket magazine for the past 8 years, I was aware of the Cricket Without Boundaries and how the charity has grown over the past decade. In the last 18 months I've met several members of the CWB team and gained a better appreciation of the work that goes into the projects and the positive impact they have, not only the AIDS education but the more basic, but as important, life lessons and support the charity brings to communities in Africa. I enjoy running and raising money for charities is always a real bonus. As someone who appreciates the pleasure cricket can bring, CWB was an obvious choice.”

The world's leading half marathon, the Great North Run, was first staged in 1981 where just over 12,000 people took part on the 13.1 mile course; with entries reaching 57,000 people in 2014. In 2014 the event made history as it became the first International Association of Athletics Federations event in the world to welcome its millionth finisher. Previous runners include some of the most famous names in distance running; Mo Farah, Paula Radcliffe and Haile Gebrselassie.

The Great North Run will be broadcast live on BBC One, 09.30 - 13.30, with the highlights programme showing on Sunday 13 September on BBC Two, 18.00 - 19.00.