Super Sara: Cox raises over £10 million for Children in Need

Just Voices could not be prouder of our brilliant voice Sara Cox, who has completed an extraordinary Great Northern Marathon Challenge for BBC Children in Need and helped raise over £10 Million for the charity.

Across five days this November, Sara covered 135 miles on foot, the equivalent of five marathons, travelling from the wild beauty of Kielder Forest on the Scottish border to Pudsey in West Yorkshire. The route took her through four counties, over moorland, ridges and long, cold stretches of northern road, all while carrying Pudsey on her back and broadcasting her progress to Radio 2 listeners.

The challenge was billed as a serious test of stamina and spirit. It delivered on both. Sara faced driving rain, tough climbs and long days on tired legs, yet she kept going in classic Sara style, with humour, heart and a steady focus on why the miles mattered. By the time she reached Pudsey, live on air and cheered on by crowds, the total raised had already soared into the millions, eventually passing the ten million pound mark after donations continued to pour in.

Sara has spoken about how overwhelmed she felt by the generosity of listeners and supporters along the route, and how difficult the challenge was physically and emotionally. At fifty, and having never run anywhere near that distance before training began, she described it as the hardest thing she has ever done. Messages of support came from across the country, including high profile names, but the stories that fuelled her most were those of the children and young people whose lives will be changed by Children in Need.

Her achievement sits within a remarkable appeal year for BBC Children in Need, with the 2025 appeal night total reaching around £45.5 million to support children and young people across the UK. Sara’s challenge contributed a significant slice of that figure and captured the imagination of millions who followed every step on radio, television and online.

For us at Just Voices, this is another reminder of what makes Sara such a special part of our roster. Already a much loved broadcaster on BBC Radio 2 and host of The Great Pottery Throw Down, she brings the same warmth, wit and authenticity to her voice work that listeners heard throughout this challenge.

Alongside her on air work, Sara is also an accomplished author, with her debut novel “Thrown” cementing her reputation as a storyteller on the page as well as behind the mic.

Today, though, the spotlight belongs firmly on her five day journey for Children in Need and the lives that will be changed because she laced up her trainers and set out from Kielder with Pudsey on her back.
Everyone at Just Voices sends huge congratulations to Sara, to the production and support teams who kept her moving, and to the listeners who donated. A great voice, an outstanding broadcaster, and now a record breaking charity fundraiser.