YOUNGSTERS were meeting a real superhero yesterday (Tuesday, June 20) after launching their “Daily Mile” run.
Pupils at Kymin View Primary School in Wyesham, Monmouth, held a sponsored “colour run” last Friday (June 16) to raise money for the Superhero Foundation, founded by world record adventurer Jamie McDonald.
And having run 5,000 miles across Canada dressed as a superhero, he was attending the school yesterday to tell children they can all be superheroes.
All pupils and staff decorated a white t-shirt with lots of colours and walked, jogged or ran five laps of the school field to complete a mile and raise money for the Superhero Foundation, which supports children who need life changing operations to enable them to move and live more freely.
The children have been building up to running the ‘Daily Mile’, an initiative which aims to help keep youngsters fit and healthy.
Governor Kath Vickers said: “Many parents and members of the Wyesham community turned out to support and cheer on the children as they made their way around the field.
“The younger children began the race with the older children standing by encouraging them as they moved swiftly and with grace. Even some parents caught the running bug and joined in.
“But the staff couldn’t keep up as the older pupils bounded with speed and finesse around the field. It was an incredible event and a lot of money was raised for a great charity. Look out world, Olympians in the making here.”
This focus is linked to the whole school topic of “What makes a Superhero?”, where pupils are looking at physical, mental and emotional health and well-being and relationships.
They were excited to be meeting Jamie McDonald, who spent 11 months running coast-to-coast across Canada dressed as superhero The Flash in 2013 to 2014.
He raised more than £250,000 for children’s charities in the UK and Canada in a bid to give back to organisations that supported him as an unwell child,
In 2012, he had already cycled 14,000 miles from Bangkok to his hometown Gloucester, passing through dozens of countries.
And when he got home, he attempted the world static cycling record, which stood at 224 hours and 24 minutes, setting a new world best 268 hours – more than eleven days.
The author and world-wide speaker was also due to be speaking at the Shire Hall, Monmouth, last night.