St James aims for a million

St James aims for a million


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Published: 09 October 2009

Staff and pupils at St James CE Secondary School in Farnworth pride themselves on going the extra mile. But this year they are aiming a walk ONE MILLION miles for charity.

The school has set itself the Million Mile Challenge to walk the distance in a year to raise money for school children in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Headteacher Tania Lewyckyj said: “We have established a cultural link with a secondary school in Masooli, Uganda, and thought about walking the equivalent of the mileage to Masooli and back. But then we became more adventurous!”

Former headteacher, Bob Atkinson, launched the challenge at sports day last summer, leading the pupils in the first mile round the track and the plan is for Mrs Lewyckyj to walk the last mile at the next sports day.

Oliver Rollinson, a Year 11 pupil, said: “It’s a great project, one that will really bring us together as a school community.

“We are hoping families and local businesses will want to support us with sponsorship too. In our assemblies we have discovered that it costs £60 a year to provide education for a child in Masooli, which is so little.

“The difference there is that the parents have to pay and many of the pupils are orphans. We are currently sponsoring 40 children in the school who have no families to pay their fees.”

Oliver added: “We recognise that we have so much and one of our goals at St James’s has always been to make a difference.

“This is our way of giving something back. Our science department has already sent some equipment and the PE department has given sports kits but without the sponsorship, these children have no chance of an education.”

Every member of the school has been given a pedometer to count their steps.

To support the fundraising, telephone Mandy Whitehead on 01204 333000.


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