When staff and children at Leigham Primary School get behind fund raising, they do it with passion and commitment!
Leigham has a long tradition of participating in the Schools’ Challenge in June, which is to complete 12 miles in school time, then run the final mile on the Plymouth Hoe along with the Plymouth Half Marathon runners. Helen Smith – with other teachers from Leigham – completed the Half Marathon earlier this year and raised over £1500 for the Anthony Nolan charity with amazing support from family, work colleagues and friends. Helen was then lucky enough to be awarded a place running in the iconic London Marathon in 2023 running for the same charity, which she has chosen for personal reasons.
“There are many reasons why we wanted to support this amazing charity,” said Leigham headteacher Samantha Barker.
“One of our youngest pupils had leukaemia as a baby and so this is very close to our hearts. Unfortunately, so many of us have experienced loss or trauma due to cancer and when Helen came to me with her idea, I was instantly on board.
“As a leadership team, we decided to really get behind the Anthony Nolan charity and encourage our older children to get involved in a mini marathon this term, taking place at around the same time as the London Marathon.
“The response from the children has been staggering. We really didn’t expect so many children to get involved, giving up their break times and spare time at lunchtime to run round our school running track. We had over 150 children sign up for the 2.6 miles challenge and 40 completed the challenge within the first week, which is amazing!” added Mrs Barker.
The mini marathon is the brainchild of TCS, the lead sponsor of the London Marathon. Over 600,000 school children around the UK are taking part in 2022.
Helen Smith said:
“We feel proud to be part of a nationwide event that inspires children of all ages and abilities to be physically active, something we are passionate about as a school. “Children have been asked for a small donation towards the Anthony Nolan charity and will hopefully be inspired by my participation in the London Marathon in April 2023. The same challenge will be offered to Key Stage 1 children nearer that time and then it really will have been a whole school effort.”
Leigham Primary School has wonderful grounds and is a hidden gem, tucked away in a corner of Leigham, offering children plenty of outdoor space and creative experiences. Prospective parents are invited to book a tour with the Headteacher to see what Leigham Primary School has to offer.
