On October 3rd, the whole community at Heathfield Community College—students, teachers, and staff—came together for their annual Sponsored Walk and Run.
The Route and the Day
The event took place on a beautiful 3.6km trail through Heathfield Park, thanks to the kind permission of the park’s owners. Even though it was raining, the participants stayed positive and in high spirits, with many choosing to run the course. Along the way, they could enjoy the scenery and spot wildlife.
- Music and Support: Radio Heathfield played music as people started and finished, and Sixth Formers and Sports Prefects volunteered to make sure everyone stayed on course.
- Fastest Time: The quickest runner was Toby Jaquet from Year 9, who finished the route in an impressive 14 minutes and 6 seconds.
Raising Money for a Great Cause
The main reason for the event was to support positive mental health and well-being. The community showed huge generosity by raising over £4000 in sponsorship money, and that amount is still growing!
- Where the Money Goes: The money raised will be used to support the national charity Mind and the College’s own student well-being services.
- The Power of Exercise: The College’s Wellbeing Manager, Ms. Chloe Surrage, highlighted how great the event is because it combines physical exercise and fresh air—two excellent ways to look after yourself—with the chance to be compassionate and raise money for others.
Community Spirit and Resilience
The event was a huge success, showing off the great spirit of the students:
- Mr. Thomas, the Head of PE, said the community spirit of the event was a “highlight of the year.”
- Ms. Elin Dupasquier, Assistant Headteacher, praised the students for their “wonderful resilience” in tackling the course despite the rain.
- Mr. Jack Richardson, Head of Year 7, was especially proud to see so many of his new students run the distance with great enthusiasm.
We are all already looking forward to the fantastic impact that this extra resource can have. Please do continue to contribute if you have not done so already.
