A team of 29 staff and supporters of Middle East satellite TV broadcaster SAT-7 took part in the Richmond RunFest in London’s Kew Gardens last weekend (15-16 September) – with star runner, Jonathan Cornish, coming fourth out of over three thousand runners.
The SAT-7 team was composed of both supporters and staff of the ministry’s Chippenham-based UK office and of its London-based Iranian TV studio. All ran with the aim of raising awareness and funds for SAT-7’s broadcasts across the Middle East and North Africa.
Fleet-footed supporters Leon van Rossum, Christina Hanley and Anna Dejaegher-Joseph completed Sunday’s half marathon, while 26 more sped through Saturday’s 10k event.
Flying
Jonathan Cornish, who flew through Saturday’s 10k race in a blinding 32 minutes, said, “It was an absolutely brilliant day! I really enjoyed being part of the SAT-7 team who were all very friendly and the fact that we were running for a shared cause helped to bring us all together too.
“I was pleased with my time as I have only been back training properly for two to three weeks after having a four-week break over the summer.”
Martin Thomas, Director of External Development at SAT-7, ran the 10k with the added disadvantage of a printed TV frame: “Running with the TV frame was a bit of a challenge – but great fun,” he said. “It felt like I was in a constant TV interview, with onlookers and runners alike asking about SAT-7 throughout the course.”
SAT-7 supporter, Eileen White, said “I feel for people in the Middle East and North Africa who sometimes cannot go to church, buy a Bible or even meet with other Christians. SAT- 7 makes a difference to many families and their communities – that’s why I wanted to run for them.”
Opportunity
Also taking part was Panayiotis Keenan, director of SAT-7 PARS, whose programmes meet this exact need for over a million viewers in the Persian-speaking world. Panayiotis said “It was a great opportunity for the PARS team to meet with SAT UK with friends and supporters. Events like these help in raising the awareness of what SAT 7 PARS is doing in the UK – broadcasting live shows to Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan right here from London!”
Panayiotis ended with an invitation, saying, “We’re already preparing for next year’s race: Please join us!”
It’s not too late to support to one of SAT-7’s runners (Donations close 21 October 2018)