King’s Oak students take on tough fundraising challenge

Staff, students, and Friends of King’s Oak Academy took on a monumental week of gruelling physical challenges to raise money towards a long-desired school minibus

The King’s Oak Academy Active Challenge week saw staff and students take to an exercise bike to complete the equivalent of the 837-mile Land’s End to John O’Groats route, before hitting a rowing machine to complete the 220-mile length of the River Severn. They also used a treadmill to cover the 71 miles they would have to travel to visit all sister schools within the Cabot Learning Federation.

By hitting the 1,250-mile total, the King’s Oak team raised an amazing £1,890 – nearly double their original £1,000 target.

After school on Friday, the Friends of King’s Oak held the Active Challenge Finale in the school canteen and offered students the chance to take part in more fundraising activities. They included hook a duck, topple a teacher and lucky dip, while there was also a tuck shop that served hot and cold drinks and much more.

In total, £3,905 was raised from the whole day of fundraising at the Kingswood school.

This has now been added to other fundraising efforts – and support from local businesses, including Pam James Consultancy which donated £1,000 – to enable the school to order a new minibus.

Katharine Ogden, Principal of King’s Oak Academy, said: “Following the pandemic, we have been working hard to ensure that our children are able get out and go on trips or participate in wider enrichment activities. This is because we know these opportunities are crucial to deepening the learning experiences and help to create lifelong memories for children as they progress through their time in education.

“The Active Challenge fundraising event was a remarkable team effort from the Friends of King’s Oak (PTA), our children and staff who worked together to accrue some impressive distances on the treadmill, rowing machines and bicycle whilst also raising money to help us order a new minibus so we can continue to organise these important enrichment activities for our children in 2024.

“Thank you very much to everyone who has supported us throughout our fundraising efforts. It has been heartwarming to see how well our school, parents and residents work together to support the children in our community.”