Year 1 pupils at King Edward’s School have raised more than £1,000 for charity after completing a sponsored 13-mile cycle ride from Bath to Bristol in support of orangutan conservation.
The children took on the challenge along the Bristol and Bath Railway Path after learning about rainforest habitats and the threats facing orangutans as part of their Our Wonderful World topic.
The fundraising initiative, called Pedal for Orangutans, was inspired by Year 1 pupil Wren, who wanted to help after discovering how deforestation and palm oil production are affecting orangutan populations in Borneo.
As well as completing the cycle ride, the pupils wrote to major supermarket chains, encouraging them to stop using palm oil in their products.
The young cyclists were joined by their families for the challenge, setting off from Bath and travelling all the way to Bristol.
Their teacher, Mrs Rocksborough-Smith, said, “I’m so proud of my class, who were determined to do something to help orangutans in Borneo after reading There’s a Rang-Tan in My Bedroom and learning how their rainforest homes are being destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations.”
The project was inspired by the book There’s a Rang-Tan in My Bedroom, written by former King Edward’s School pupil James Sellick, giving the fundraising effort a special connection to the Bath school community.
Thanks to the determination of the pupils and support from their families, the Pedal for Orangutans campaign has already raised more than £1,000 to help protect endangered orangutans and their rainforest habitats.
