Sunday 9 June 2013

Royal Russell School rallies behind teacher’s charity plea



Staff and pupils at Royal Russell School in Coombe Lane, South Croydon, are rallying to raise money and awareness for the Motor Neurone Disease Association following a request by PE teacher Sarah Culliford whose brother, Andrew, is suffering from this terminal illness.

Sarah, 25, wanted to do something positive to help Andrew and the MND Association  charity which is supporting him through his illness.  She asked the School if it could help stage a fund-raising event and suggested pupils and staff sponsored a school team to walk all or some of the 66 mile Vanguard Way which runs from Croydon to Newhaven.  Sarah gave an assembly to the 600 Royal Russell senior school pupils in which she asked them to consider what they could do to show their support.  

“The response was phenomenal with 250 staff and pupils dedicating the weekend of June 14-16 to a fundraising effort which we have called the Vanguard Challenge,” says Sarah.  “The scale of this is beyond my expectations and I’m humbled by the School’s support of Andrew, our family and the charity.”

Over one third of the pupils have since signed up to complete a physical feat of endurance. “We gave the pupils the idea of the ’66 miles from sea to school’ and explained that the Vanguard Way is a challenging  route to follow on foot or by bike,” says Deputy Headmaster David Selby.  “I was astounded, not only by the sheer numbers pledging to walk, run and cycle some or all of the distance, but by the individual ideas in which the challenge could be developed.  We even have a group horse riding!”

Other interpretations of the ‘66’ include such diverse events as a 6.6 hour Zumbathon, a 66 mile ski trip and kayak route.  More unusually, an afternoon of abseiling down the School Chapel tower has been organised and Portia Bean, 17,  is baking and selling themed cupcakes.  Even the very young children aged four to 10 in the Junior School are taking part, with many walking three miles alongside their parents and teachers. 

The majority of the senior school pupils are tackling a six or 12 mile walk or run on the Sunday but a few are literally going the extra miles.  Jack Stone, 14, will complete a 66 mile swim in the School pool on the final day of the Challenge and two members of staff and two parents are aiming to run the whole 66 miles on the Sunday.  Forty pupils and staff are walking the full distance, covering 22 miles each day and camping en route.  

All the money raised will go to the Motor Neurone Disease Association to help fund its research and care for sufferers like Andrew.  Motor Neurone Disease is not widely understood.  Sufferers have a life expectancy from one to five years from diagnosis and their symptoms develop in different ways.  What is common to all is the slow paralysis of the body as their motor neurone pathways become affected.  Often it starts in their fingers or toes and gradually progresses to their limbs.  When the disease reaches their mouth/throat, sufferers find it hard to swallow or speak.  Eventually, the lungs are affected and the sufferer passes away. 

“Motor Neurone Disease is a truly debilitating illness for which there is currently no cure,” says Helena Maliniak, MND Association regional fundraiser for London.  “We are working tirelessly to  raise awareness, encourage more drug trials and educate people so they can understand the plight of those affected,” she says.  “We are totally reliant on fundraising.  The Royal Russell School Vanguard Challenge is on a scale not often seen by the MND Association: we are truly grateful for the School’s support of Andrew and Sarah.”

More information can be seen at www.vanguardchallenge.co.uk. 

No comments:

Post a Comment