Parents' Generosity "Overwhelming" As Academy Fun Run Raises More Than £5,000 For Charity

Staff and children at Pilgrim Academy who dressed up as Superheroes to raise more than £5,000 for two causes close to their hearts today. Their Fun Run became a walk around the school corridors because of the heavy rain.

Superheroes united at Pilgrim Academy today to raise in excess of £5,000 for two causes close to their hearts.

Pupils from every year group at the Immingham Academy dressed up and walked the corridors of the school in bubbles throughout the day, refusing to allow the heavy rain to put paid to their outdoor fundraising event. 

This is the first time the Academy has organised a sponsored event of this kind, and the proceeds will go to two causes. The first is the “When You Wish Upon A Star’ Foundation for children living with life-threatening  illnesses. The second is to help to build a Memorial Garden at the Academy for a former teacher who sadly lost his life last year.

Key Stage One Teacher Mel Portlock said the children were really excited to dress up for the event and moving it inside had not dampened anyone’s spirits.

Andy Clark, Principal of Pilgrim Academy, paid tribute to the children and their parents for their “incredible fundraising.” 

“This is the first time we have held a sponsored event like this. We have done charity events where we usually ask the children to bring in a £1, but we thought for this one, partly because of Covid and the lockdown, that we wanted to bring all of the children and families together.

“The two causes are very close to our hearts, but we really were not expecting the immense generosity shown by parents for this event. I really want to thank them for embracing it because the money that has come in so far has been absolutely fantastic. We haven’t done a final count yet, but it is well in excess of £5,000.

“Unfortunately the weather has not been with us today, but we turned the field walk into an indoor event. The Year 1s and 2s look shattered because they have been walking the corridors for half an hour. It has been absolutely amazing and once again a very big thank you to everyone involved, including all of the staff who have dressed up too. We hope to have a final total early next week.”

Tollbar MAT Sixth Form College Year 12 students provided musical accompaniment for the whole of the event. Music student Euan Lynch sang and Edward Wells played the guitar and sang. They are both studying for their A Levels.

From left are pupils Daisy Braithwaite, 7, Ayse Ibrahim, 6, and Ianis Luca, 7, with Andy Clark, Pilgrim Academy Principal, and Melanie Portlock, KS1 Teacher.

Ella-Rose Gardener is Batgirl.

Super - hero!

Archie Cormack.

Antonina Paczuska.

Grace Elliott, Year 2.

Tollbar MAT Sixth Form College Year 12 students, Edward Wells and Euan Lynch provided the music throughout the day to spur the walkers on with their fundraising at Pilgrim Academy.