Schoolchildren at Harborough school have run a marathon to support local hospitals

Schoolchildren at a Market Harborough school have run a marathon to support local hospitals fighting the Covid-19 crisis.

Meadowdale Primary School’s key worker children ran the gruelling 26.2-mile event between them in school on Thursday April 23.

Children learning at home can also take part by walking or running 26 miles during their daily exercise by Friday May 22.

That could be walking a mile a day for 26 days or running laps around their garden.

The school will keep a running total of the distance that pupils have run or walked.

Every penny raised will go to the Leicester Hospitals Charity's emergency Covid-19 Response Fund.

It will support hospital staff across all three Leicester hospitals as they battle the pandemic.

The charity is working to provide equipment for staff rooms, emergency toiletry packs for staff working long shifts.

It will also supply hand and body creams for staff, nutritious snacks and cold drinks for staff and single-use craft items for use on children’s wards to combat infection.

Head of School, Liz Martin, said: “Our 'school' looks very different at the moment with most children learning at home and just a few key worker children attending each day.

“But our school community is as strong as ever.

“The support we have had for our 'Meadowdale Marathon' event has been incredible.

“It’s testament to the huge sense of gratitude we all feel for the NHS and particularly those people in our community who are working so hard to save lives and keep us safe.

“We aimed to raise £500 for The Leicester Hospitals Charity.

“We exceeded that total before the event had even taken place!

“So thank you to everyone who has donated - it will make a really difference.”

To make a donation please visit the school’s Just Giving page - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/meadowdale-marathon