The 2014 Spar Women’s Challenge is carrying their My Shoes, Your Shoes message home with the inspiring involvement selected brand ambassadors and beneficiaries. The race will start at 14:00 on Saturday 30 August 2014 and will take place at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Pierre and Juanné Spies are among this year’s brand ambassadors. They are excited about being involved in the 2014 race because of the platform that the My Shoes, Your Shoes message is giving to Pretoria’s women. “I want to take this opportunity to celebrate and show gratitude, not only to my beautiful and giving wife, but also to all the other women out there who do the same for their families. I literally want to put myself in their shoes and show them that although it may be hard at times, putting effort into supporting one another is worth it,” said Pierre. Jerome Jacobs, marketing director at Spar North Rand, said that this year’s theme was in line with Spar’s ethos of community involvement and uplift through sport. “We are excited to be part of something that encourages community unity on this level while still celebrating Pretoria’s women as the race has always done,” said Jacobs. “The difference this year is that we want everyone to be a part of the race – even those who cannot run it themselves.” This carries the message behind the Spar Women’s Challenge further than ever and in fact that is exactly what this year’s race is – a challenge to all entrants to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and run the race for someone who cannot. From this angle, Spar has become particularly involved in a cause that affects all women – breast cancer. Based on the awareness that there are so many women afflicted with the disease who will be unable to run the race, Spar also brought Zoleka Mandela, a breast cancer survivor and founder of the Zoleka Mandela Foundation, on board as a brand ambassador. Zoleka is putting together a team to walk with her in unity and support of those who will not be able to take part in the race. As a breast cancer survivor, she has literally walked the path that these women are on. This was part of her motivation for coming on board as an ambassador and backing the My Shoes, Your Shoes campaign. Spar is challenging every woman in Pretoria to enter the race and to put themselves in another woman’s shoes by walking for someone who cannot. According to Jacobs, this could be a loved one fighting breast cancer, one of Spar’s beneficiaries, a strong role model in your life or any woman that you would like to honour when crossing the finish line. “Walking – or running – and finishing the race for them symbolises the journey and honours the struggle that so many women are fighting. If you are walking for someone who cannot do it for themselves or in support of Spar’s race beneficiaries, let us know by writing on our Facebook page or Twitter feed and make your cause known.” Show your support by ‘Liking’ the Spar Women’s Challenge Pretoria Facebook page or by following @SPARladiespta on Twitter.