Students go from coast to coast for Teenage Cancer
A group of nine Year 10 students set out on a trip of a lifetime to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust during half-term.
For the last 24 years, students at Wolverhampton Grammar School have pushed themselves to their limits completing the 170-mile ‘Coast 2 Coast’ challenge in a day.
This year’s cause, the Teenage Cancer Trust, was chosen because of its personal impact on members of the team.
Grace Higgins from the Teenage Cancer Trust and Morgan, a family friend of one of the runners, were there to see the team off.
Morgan explained how at the age of 20 he had benefited from treatment for Leukaemia in the Young Persons Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham funded by Teenage Cancer Trust.
His words of encouragement would prove to be a much-needed incentive as the night runs were being completed some 20 hours into the challenge.
The team has more than doubled their fundraising target for the trust, currently standing at £7,393.
At 7am on May 28, the team assembled at St. Bees in Cumbria to begin their journey.
They successfully arrived in Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire, 25 hours and 52 minutes later.
As is tradition, a Wolverhampton Grammar School tie was dipped in the ocean at both the start and finish point symbolising the journey.
Alex Frazer, head at the school, cycled alongside the students for part of the journey.
He said: "I could not be prouder of the team, this challenge requires tremendous dedication both in the 16 weeks of training before the event and in keeping motivated to push through the sleep deprivation and exhaustion whilst facing some of the steepest hills in England.
"Congratulations to Mason, Luke, Kyla, Caleb, Sachi, Nacardo, George, Elliot and Jasraaj; what an incredible achievement.
"And of course this could not have been done without the wonderful WGS staff who have been there to help prepare the children for this experience and support them all the way from coast to coast.
"Thank you also to our sponsors Shingler Group, RMW Electrical, The Blakemore Foundation, Premier Sports, Holroyd Howe and the WGS Friends; it has been a real team effort."
People can still make donations to Teenage Cancer Trust via the JustGiving Fundraising page justgiving.com/fundraising/wgscoast-2-coast2022
