Academy's ‘Race For Life’ Raises Tremendous Amount For Cancer Research
Pilgrim Academy pupils take part in 'Race For Life' to raise money for Cancer Research. They were joined by staff, parents, friends and family.
Pilgrim Academy pupils, staff, parents, family and friends have completed ‘Race For Life’ to raise another incredible amount of money for charity, Cancer Research UK.
Two hundred and twenty one family members joined the children to complete as many 600m laps of the school grounds as they could within an hour, with most of the younger children completing around 3km.
Some of the Key Stage 2 children competed to see who could complete eight laps in the fastest time, the equivalent of around 5km. Year 4 pupil Mackenzie Parker won the race in just 25 minutes, and then went on to complete a further eight laps of the course, which took participants around the school field and into the Academy’s wonderful wildlife garden.
Close behind Mackenzie was Taylor Sinclair, Year 5, who also continued running for the whole hour. Most of the Key Stage 2 children completed the 5km distance, and Academy staff and visitors all walked or ran the course for the full hour.
As they ran/walked, they were accompanied by a group of volunteers from Tollbar MAT Sixth Form College and Tollbar Academy. They were George Kavanagh (Year 12), who sang and compered the race, and musicians and vocalists, Honey Hollingsworth (Year 11), Josh Young (Year 12), and Casey Foyle (Year 12).
Each race participant wore a badge on their backs to show who they were thinking of as they ran the race. They included mums, dads, grandparents, children and friends who have all been affected in some way by cancer.
Lisa Wakefield, whose grand-daughter, Gracie-Mae Steenvoorden, is a pupil at the Academy, was accompanied by her daughter, a cancer survivor, and other family members and friends.
“There are not many families who remain untouched by cancer,” she said. “We have to take part in events like this to raise awareness and show that we are thinking of them.
“The children are super excited to run today and we might not manage as many laps as they do, but we are here to show our support for the school and its efforts to raise money for such a worthwhile cause,” she added.
Year 2 pupil Sophie Hickson said: ‘The run was wonderful because I did it with my friend and we had fun whilst raising money for Cancer Research.”
George Lusher, Year 3, added: “I tried really hard to run the first lap quickly, which I liked, and then after that I carried on running, but I just kept going. I did 11 laps and I was really happy to get a medal.”
This is the third time this Academic year that the school and its generous supporters have raised a tremendous amount of money for charity, and Principal Andy Clark is “enormously proud’ of their enthusiasm and generosity. So far the Academy has raised £1,617 from ‘Race For Life,’ with money still coming in.
Race For Life organiser, Carolyn France, who is Assistant Principal at the Academy, said: “This illness affects so very many people in so many ways, and that is why we have such an amazing turnout today. The supporters of Pilgrim Academy have shown yet again how amazing they are in their generosity and support of others, and we are overwhelmed by their compassion.”
Some of the Pilgrim Academy 'Race For Life' participants.
Honey Hollingsworth, Josh Young and George Kavanagh from Tollbar Academy and Sixth Form College entertain the runners.
