canada water 2023

Our first event in Southwark brought together five primary school from Rotherhithe to Bermondsey.

We welcomed runners from Redriff Primary, Galleywall, St James, Rotherhithe and Alfred Salter to challenge themselves to run 2km (i.e. 5 laps) around the Southwark Park Athletics track. 

We were thrilled to be joined by Miquita Oliver and her Ropes team for a collective skipping warm-up. The children re-discovered the joys of  skipping and found their rhythm while jumping up and down. 

A huge thank you to all the volunteers who made this event possible: parents and teachers who came to help and support the runners. 

Record breaking participation for a first event! Over 800 people gathered at the track to support the 740 children, parents and teachers who took on the running challenge.  It was an incredible display of community spirit.

Congratulations to everyone who took part. It was a day of fun and fitness for all and the quotes from some of our participants sum it up perfectly: 

"It was an amazing sporting and emotional experience. Very impressed by all the less sporty/trained kids who found the mental courage to get to the finish line." 

"Finally, and activity that I can do with my child. It's hard to find activities for both of us now that she is at school."

"The kids loved seeing the parents trying to keep up!"  

The run was an opportunity for each school to start a fundraising campaign. 

 All the children running collected  sponsorship from friends and family for their running challenge and raised an in credible £7,400 collectively for their schools! 

Thanks to the support of the event sponsor, Art-Invest, each participating school will receive £5,000 to kick start an improvement project which enriches the education experience of its pupils.

The funds were earmarked for a variety of projects to enrich the education experience of the pupils. 

We look forward to seeing the children enjoying their new PE equipment, reading sheds, wellbeing spaces, playgrounds and becoming proficient swimmers with the hiring of a on-site swimming pool!