Woodfield School hosted a special event on the school’s playing fields and playground on Friday 14 May as part of the Race for Life Schools programme.
Around 60 pupils, aged from 3 to 11-years-old, took part in the event to raise money for life-saving research. The event was held in line with official guidance for schools during the COVID-19 outbreak.
To help the pupils prepare, teachers have been using a resource kit created by the Cancer Research UK which includes everything they need to hold their own Race for Life Schools event, such as fundraising tips, posters and medals for every pupil taking part.
Jo Marwood, head teacher at Woodfield School, said:
Race for Life is a great addition to the school events calendar.
We’ve been really looking forward to taking part.
The whole school is supporting the event so it will be a real team effort and a great day for pupils and staff, all whilst raising money for an important cause.
We set a target of £250 for the school to raise and we know we have already raised over double that with donations still coming in.
Sadly, most of us know someone who has been touched by cancer and we all have our special reasons for taking part and wanting to help more people survive.
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring series of events which raises millions of pounds every year to help fund vital research.
Schools across the UK are being invited to hold their own Race for Life events in aid of the charity. The event can be on any day, at any place, and any distance that suits the age and abilities of all pupils.
Sarah Pickersgill, Head of Events Marketing for Cancer Research UK, said:
Organising a Race for Life Schools event is a fantastic way for schools to have fun, whilst raising money for a good cause.
One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives. But the good news is, thanks to research, more people are surviving the disease now than ever before.
The money raised by Woodfield School will help our scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, helping to save more lives. So, we thank all the pupils, parents and teachers for their vital support.
The pandemic has caused a devastating loss of funding for cancer research. Following the cancellation of fundraising events like Race for Life, Cancer Research UK is expecting a staggering £160 million drop in income in the year ahead. As a result, the charity has made the difficult decision to cut £44 million in research funding.
