Thatcham schoolchildren 'do the Whitelands walk'

Pupils raise more than £900 for a local charity

PUPILS at Whitelands Park Primary School put their best foot forward on a sponsored walk for a local charity.

The Year 6 children took part in the Go Givers: make a difference challenge, a national initiative encouraging young people to make a difference in their community.

The youngsters chose West Berkshire Young Carers as their cause and said they were passionate to help the charity as it is an issue close to their hearts.

After meeting a charity representative they discussed the importance of raising awareness and money to help support the work done by the The Friends of West Berkshire Young Carers, who provide respite opportunities for young carers in the district.

They decided to go on a sponsored walk from their school in Sagecroft Road along the Kennet and Avon Canal to the Rowbarge Inn, Woolhampton, where they stopped for a picnic and were joined by headteacher Matthew Irving.

Assistant headteacher and Year 6 teacher Andrea Collicott said that the children had struggled towards the end of the just under 10-mile trek and she was incredibly proud of her pupils’ efforts, enthusiasm and maturity.

She said the children had chosen the charity as there are young carers at the school.

And after counting the donations, Miss Collicott said the children had raised more than £900 after their walking effort.

Miss Collicott said that the headteachers of Kennet School and Trinity School, Paul Dick OBE and Charlotte Wilson, had donated to the children’s cause and the school has received a letter of support from the MP for Newbury, Richard Benyon.