Welbourn Primary School pupils to take part in sponsored cycle for two Ugandan children’s education, through charity Step Up Family Organisation

Pupils at a primary school are set to cycle for a cumulative 18 hours, to help ensure two children in Uganda can attend school.

Through the charity Step Up Family Organisation, Welbourn Primary School sponsors two children, Mercy and Brizy, to ensure they can access an education, eat hot food, and receive a birthday present.

With the goal of raising the £500 needed to continue their sponsorship for the year — and hopefully some additional funds to buy each child a bike — the primary school will hold a fundraising cycle challenge on Friday, November 7.

All 77 of the school’s children will have an opportunity to do their bit on three bikes set up on static cycle trainers, between them cycling for 18 hours — the time they determined it would take to travel to Uganda and back by aeroplane.

These are to be provided and set up by Sleaford Wheelers Go Ride and Mark Hume Cycle Services.

Teacher Andrea Bonsall said: “We started sponsoring the children a couple of years ago, this is our third year of fundraising.

“Originally we only planned to sponsor one pupil in Uganda, but we raised so much we had enough to support two.

“I had been sponsoring a child myself, and the charity is amazing. You know your sponsorship goes to the child as they send pictures, videos, and letters.

“The school council thought it was a lovely idea and as a Church of England school it fits in with out values.”

£1,100 was raised for Mercy and Brizy in the first year, with a sponsored fun run, and a repeat event last year raised £660 — and the school council decided to try something new this year.

“We want to raise £500 for the sponsorship for their education and hot school meals for the year, and then if we can raise extra we hope to raise enough to provide them with a bike each,” Andrea added.

“We can also buy them livestock, a chicken costs around £8, and so we’d like to get them a chicken each too so they have the eggs for food and also the responsiblity.

“The more we raise the more opportunity we will have to support them. The plan is to keep the bikes going all day.”

You can donate to the sponsored cycle via the school’s JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/welbournsponsoredbikeride?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL

In the past, the Welbourn pupils’ fundraising has provided mattresses, bedding, and mosquito nets for the children and their siblings, art supplies, food parcels, and Christmas gifts including a skateboard for Brizy.

“We were sent a video of him zooming around on it, it was so lovely to see the smile on his face,” the teacher added.

“It has benefited both the charity and out school, it’s really helped our children appreciate the things they’ve got and take for granted.”