Editing Ian Botham (section)

==Charity fundraising==

[[File:"Sticky Wicket", Paddington Bear, Regent's Park - geograph.org.uk - 4268831.jpg|thumb|upright|Botham's [[Paddington Bear]] statue—themed "Sticky Wicket"—in [[Regent's Park]], London, auctioned to raise funds for the [[National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children|NSPCC]]]]

Botham has been a prodigious [[fundraiser]] for charitable causes, undertaking a total of 12 long-distance charity walks. His first, in 1985, was a 900-mile trek from [[Land's End to John o' Groats|John o' Groats to Land's End]]. His efforts were inspired after a visit to [[Taunton]]'s [[Musgrove Park Hospital]] in 1977 whilst receiving treatment for a broken toe. When he took a wrong turn into a children's ward, he was devastated to learn that some of the children had only weeks to live, and why. At the time he was an expectant father.<ref name=BBCnews/> Since then his efforts have raised more than [[pound sign|£12]]&nbsp;million for charity, with leukaemia research the main cause to benefit. In recognition of this work, Botham in 2003 became the first-ever President of [[Bloodwise]], the UK's leading blood cancer charity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8613310.stm |title=Sir Ian starts anniversary charity walk in Manchester |publisher=BBC News |date=10 April 2010 |access-date=3 August 2013 |archive-date=26 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526213335/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/8613310.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2014, Botham designed a [[Paddington Bear]] statue, one of fifty created by various celebrities which were located around London prior to the release of the film ''[[Paddington (film)|Paddington]]'', with the statues auctioned to raise funds for the [[National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children]] (NSPCC).<ref>{{cite news |title=Why Paddington Bear Statues Have Taken Over London |url=https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-11-24/paddington-bear-statues-taken-over-london-david-beckham-benedict-cumberbatch |access-date=25 November 2023 |work=Condé Nast}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Shaunna |title=Emma Watson Designed A Paddington Bear For Charity And It's Freaking Adorable |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1984950/emma-watson-paddington-bear/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107012511/http://www.mtv.com/news/1984950/emma-watson-paddington-bear/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 November 2014 |date=3 November 2014 |access-date=25 November 2023 |publisher=MTV}}</ref>

On 10 October 2007, Botham was invested a [[Knight Bachelor]] by [[Queen Elizabeth II]] at [[Buckingham Palace]], having been appointed in the [[2007 Birthday Honours|Queen's Birthday Honours]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=58358 |date=16 June 2007 |page=1 |supp=y}}</ref> "for services to Charity and to Cricket".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/298185.html |title=Ian Botham knighted in Birthday Honours |date=16 June 2007 |access-date=28 August 2009 |archive-date=10 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010054241/http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/298185.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=the London Gazette|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/58358/supplement/1|website=thegazette.co.uk|access-date=24 August 2017|archive-date=17 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817120107/https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/58358/supplement/1|url-status=live}}</ref>