Pupils and their families from St Margaret’s Preparatory School in Calne dressed as rainbows to bring smiles to the streets of Wiltshire when they took part in a run that met lockdown restrictions to raise more than £2,000 for The Rainbow Trust – a charity which supports families with sick children.
“As a school we were blown away by the support of our families during these challenging times,” said Head of Sport, Daniel Dury. “We raised over £2,000, with members of the general public asking the children what they were doing as they ran past their homes dressed up in their rainbow attire and offered to sponsor some of our families whilst they ran along country lanes.
“I’d like it personally thank all those who supported the St Margaret’s community with this challenge.”
The children should have been taking part in a Colour Run at school but when Coronavirus put paid to this event, Mr Dury came up with the idea of the Rainbow Run which pupils and their families could do in their gardens or nearby streets.
More than 150 people took part, some dressed in bright colours, others wearing face paints and adorned with ribbons.
“Our family support workers, who are classed as ‘key workers’ in the current crisis, have been part of the national response to rapidly increasing demand, providing critical care and support to seriously ill children and their families in this new frightening reality,” explained Oonagh Goodman, fundraising director of the Rainbow Trust said.
“We are giving emergency practical, mental and emotional support 24 hours day to families, many of whom have children who are classed as some of the most at-risk because they are in cancer treatment, organ transplant patients and have compromised immune systems.
“Yet whilst our services are in demand more than ever, our income has dropped almost overnight as every fundraising event is cancelled. We rely on the generosity of the public raising money to fund support to families. So we are doubly grateful to all the families at St Margaret’s Prep School for their resilience, imagination and kindness in going ahead with their colour run ‘virtually’.
“It is great to see the prep school community coming together as one in spirit to support sick children and their families at a time of great need. For all the families supported by Rainbow Trust and all the Rainbow Trust team, a big thank you to you all.”