Pupils at Nottinghamshire school run marathon to support cancer patients

VIDEO: The pupils raised nearly £2,000.

Pupils at a Nottinghamshire secondary school ran a marathon to raise money for a cancer support centre.

Pupils at Toot Hill School in Bingham ran in a relay round a track at the school to support Maggie’s support centre for cancer patients at Nottingham City Hospital.

Maggie’s provides advice for cancer patients and their families and the school raised just under £2,000.

The run, which took place on Wednesday (July 19), was organised by the National Citizen Service, a Government scheme working with 15 and 16 year olds to build their confidence before they go to college.

Pupil Josh Grant said: “Years ago my mum had cancer and she was treated here at the City Hospital. This centre had been recently set up a few years before that.

“We thought it was a good opportunity to come down and use the centre. I spent a day here where I visited the hospital, saw all the treatment centres and there’s also a few arts classes.

“I felt really helpful because it’s totally different to hospital – you see how supportive it is, it helps you through a tough time.”

Pupil Oz Harkhavi added: “I decided to do this run for Maggie’s cancer centre because we thought it does great things and to raise awareness for a great charity and for all it does for people.

“This really allows you to give back to the community. Now we’re hear with Maggie’s we can see the fantastic work they do specifically and how the money we raise can help them in the long run.”

Alice Shepperston, team leader of the National Citizen Service, said: “NCS is a Government programme that helps young people who have just finished their GCSEs as a next step before they go to college.

“It helps them thrive a bit more and build that confidence that they might not have had from school.

“And also to have that social mixing either from different communities or meeting new people within the group.”

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