A FANTASTIC event involving the entire community of Tavistock is being planned for next spring ? which could even see the town racing into the record books. The Bedford Mile is the brainchild of Tavistock Athletic Club, Tavistock College and Kelly College ? and aims to be the fastest community fundraising event ever staged in Britain. The fun run is being held to raise money to build a new £300,000 eight-lane, all weather synthetic running track at Tavistock College ? a unique collaboration between the school, the independent Kelly College and the town?s athletic club. Martin Exley of Tavistock Athletic Club said: ?The plan is to organise more than 1,000 people from the local community to come and raise money for the track. What we would like is 1,000 runners raising £100 each in sponsorship money by running a mile, from Bedford Square to Drake?s Statue and back. ?The Bedford Mile will be the biggest community event in Tavistock in 2007 and will be held on April 1 ? an easy date to remember. ?It means everyone in the community is going to have the opportunity to help the children, teenagers and adults of the area by helping provide a first class running track, a fantastic facility that people in this area deserve so much.? Mr Exley said he was confident the run would not just attract generous hearted people from around Tavistock but runners from all over the area. ?Athletic club members support other events and I am sure runners from Plymouth, Torbay, Exeter, Liskeard and Launceston will be there,? he said. Colin Eves, Tavistock College principal, said: ?Obviously we are expecting the college students and staff to take part, but it goes far wider than this. We have 16 feeder primary schools ? we hope their pupils and staff will join in. We hope students and staff from Okehampton College will want to be part of it. We sincerely hope businesses in the town will take part, staff from the hospital, the fire station, the police ? we hope the Lions club, the Rotary Club, Round Table Club will join us, all the sports clubs, the hockey club, football club, rugby club. ?This is going to be a huge community event and I am certain that it will be the fastest community fundraising event ever held in the country ? from 0 to 100,000 in two hours.? The day will include far more than the run itself ? there will be live music from local bands and professional musicians. In celebration and recognition of Tavistock?s title as best food town in the South West, healthy food will also feature, with a range of refreshments available and licensed bar facilities. It is hoped the organisers of the highly successful Tavistock Food Festival will be also involved on the day. Mr Eves said: ?We have masses of ideas for the event ? I think this is going to be an unbelievable day for Tavistock which will attract regional if not national interest. It is a brilliant opportunity for the whole community to take part in a unique event.? Mark Steed, headmaster at Kelly College, said: ?We are really excited about this ? I think it?s going to be a fantastic day. ?I believe Tavistock has a fantastic tradition of getting behind events like this. It?s a really important project for the whole community and this is an opportunity for everyone to get involved.? Mr Steed said the entire Kelly College community would throw its weight behind the Bedford Mile and he hoped Tavistock residents of all ages would follow suit.
