I LOVE visiting other countries – which is just as well given the number I went to when for five years I was Foreign Secretary.

I love the differences of history, culture, religion, language, land.

But I’m always pleased to be back in Britain, because it’s extra special.

One thing which makes us stand out is the completely whacky things we do – not least those for good causes.

Here’s the latest – which I urge you to support.

72 hours (that’s three whole days!) of football, in support of the British Red Cross Disaster Fund.

The organisers are aiming for the Guinness Book of Records for the longest football marathon in the world – which is why they’ve got to get to that magic target of 72 hours.

What’s particular about this is that two of the organisers are from Blackburn.

Imran Khan, 21, from Woodvine Road, a computer science student at John Moore’s University, Liverpool, and his colleague, Mohammed Ishfaq Chaka, 22, from Palatine Road.

Already 18 keen young men have signed up for the event – in Glasgow from 16-19 July.

They are still recruiting, and there’s another fitness test this Sunday in Witton Park.

As you will have guessed, Imran and Mohammed are of Asian heritage.

Just as those of Irish heritage very often support specifically Irish charities, and those of Jewish heritage do likewise, so a lot of the fund raising for overseas aid in the Asian heritage community is for Muslim based groups like Muslim Aid and Islamic Relief.

That’s all good, but I think it’s doubly impressive that these two have chosen the British Red Cross – whose appeal is across all communities - as the recipient for the £20,000 they are aiming to raise.

Imran said: “Initially we wanted to raise money for both the Haitian and Pakistani disasters – and for others.

"When we looked at it, we just thought that the British Red Cross had the best and most comprehensive programmes”.

Great.

You can find out more at www.footballrelief.co.uk