HEAD RUNS 5KM A DAY FOR A YEAR
TO HELP PRIMARY SCHOOL READING
Headmaster David Griffiths of Old Buckenham Hall, an independent preparatory school in Suffolk, has run 5km every day of the last year raising over £2,000 for Schoolreaders!
Heading out in all weathers including at 5:30am on Mondays before the start of the school day, David completed an impressive 1,141 miles over the course of the year, the equivalent of running from London to Barcelona! However, the dedicated Headmaster does have form having completed twelve marathons in twelve days – on stilts – a few years ago for a cancer charity!
The amount David raised for Schoolreaders will transform the lives of more than 134 children by providing them with a weekly one-to-one reading support session for an entire year.
David, explaining the reason why he picked the charity for his fundraising effort, said, “Children should be confident, inquisitive and thirsty for knowledge by the age of 11, if not sooner and any child who can’t read, won’t embody any of those three qualities. Literacy is everything.
“I was struck by Schoolreaders work with primary schools and really believe in their mission. Children who can’t read don’t have a launch pad for success. Schoolreaders seeks to change that. If we can engage a local community to support a school and the children within it, great things can be achieved.
“I also believe that schools need high quality reading programmes and a good stock of books of different genres. Curriculum time must be dedicated to reading. At Old Buckenham Hall we have a DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) slot every day for fifteen minutes and schools also need libraries and regular author visits to inspire pupils. None of it is hard, it just takes effort and creative thought.”
On his 365 day running challenge, he concludes, “I’ve had some fantastic support from parents and hope that my efforts will have taught the children that taking on a fundraising activity is brilliant for the charity you chose but, through it, you can also develop a personal sense of achievement. I’m already pondering what my next challenge will be!”
David, we wish you luck whatever you choose and thank you so much!!