A charity run by a Canvey teacher was due to end this afternoon after 100 miles of sheer endurance. The Weston Spirit caught the hearts of children at Canvey’s Castle View School when their deputy head, 40-year-old Mike Hargate, volunteered to do the 24-hour marathon run. Set up by Falklands hero Simon Weston the charity aims to benefit underprivileged youngsters in inner cities.
The school hopes to raise £20,000, which will go partly to the Weston Spirit and partly towards a classroom conversion and a new school minibus. Mr Hargate said he came up with the idea because it was bit different to the usual sponsored events, and everything escalated from there.
Simon Weston started the brave attempt yesterday afternoon, and was to welcome Mr Hargate back later today. After a run round the field with 23 pupils, Mr Hargate ran through the night via Burnham, Woodham Ferrers, Battlesbridge, Hullbridge, Shoebury and Leigh.
Mr Hargate said he was feeling confident about finishing after managing a 63-mile run in just one day. He will have a back-up team of four teachers in a minibus, plus a trained nurse and lots of glucose.
Simon said: “I think it’s brilliant. The school is getting a great deal out of it and it’s good for my charity to be involved with schools as well. We are all about young people getting on and believing in themselves, and learning that you will always help yourself by helping others. This is all a part of what the Weston Spirit is all about, never turning your back.”
No Comments
Add a comment about this page