Race around Melbourne for people in poverty: Oxfam

Media Releases, Other events article written on the 10 Nov 2009

Oxfam Australia needs teams of three to race around the streets of Melbourne to raise money for its humanitarian aid and development work around the world. 

The Rat Race challenge will be held on November 28 – 29, 2009, and will involve people riding, kayaking, climbing and abseiling through the city’s streets on a whirlwind adventure along a secret course revealed minutes before the event.

Oxfam Australia is an official charity of the event, and teams who register through the Oxfam website receive 50 per cent off the race registration fee if they commit to fundraising to support Oxfam’s work.

Oxfam Australia Spokesperson Leigh Stewart said that funds raised by teams would provide the organisation with vital income for its work helping people in poverty.

“We hope Melbourne rallies behind the Rat Race, as not only will it be a very memorable adventure, but it will help Oxfam raise vital funds for people in need around the world.”

Participants can choose from the ‘Mean Streets Prologue’ held from 5 – 8pm on Saturday November 28, which involves three hours of running and walking through the city centre visiting as many checkpoints as possible.

Alternatively, people can choose the ‘Total Adventure’ which carries over Sunday November 29 and involves racing around the city by boat, bike and rope.

Currently the highest fundraisers are Samantha Dunstan, from Springvale South, Trent Barnes and Truong Pham, from East Melbourne, who have raised just under $1400 for Oxfam’s work and say they are also “in it to win”.

”We’re very competitive, have been training at night and telling all of our friends that we are going to win – so the pressure is on!“ Ms Dunstan said.

“I have done a lot of travelling in the Philippines and read about Oxfam’s work there providing clean water and shelter to people affected by the recent typhoons, and wanted to do my bit to help out.”

“My goals this year were to do something for the community and to do something physical, so when I found out I could fundraise for Oxfam through the Rat Race it seemed like the perfect idea,” Ms Dunstan said.

 To register, visit www.oxfam.org.au/rat-race for more information or email ratrace@oxfam.org.au.

To be eligible for the reduced price registration, participants doing the ‘Mean Streets Prologue’ challenge must commit to raising at least $100 per person or Oxfam Australia and people doing the ‘Total Adventure’ must raise at least $200.

 For media enquiries contact Sunita Bose, Oxfam Australia on 0407 555 960.