Caring students from our school are gearing up once more for the Marshland Pink Ladies Charity Run, where they hope to raise £2,000 for their chosen charity.

The runners from Years 7 to 11 at Marshland High School are all members of our Pink Ladies and Mixed Hockey Squads, and will be taking part in the King’s Lynn 5K Park Run on 4 July, in support of the Fenland Women’s Refuge.

It will be the twelfth time the Pink Ladies event has taken place, with an impressive £25,000 previously raised for a range of charities.

Paul Swinburn is Head of PE at Marshland, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust. A former international hockey player, he organises the charity run each year, and is keen to get as much sponsorship as possible for our students.

“We always research local charities, and the girls, who are the majority of the runners, really liked the idea of ‘girls helping local women’,” he said. “The children vote on who to support, and the winning vote is the charity we choose.

“There is a GoFundMe page that people can sponsor. If anyone would like to donate anything, it would be greatly appreciated by the group.”

Previous causes supported by the Pink Ladies have included Angles Theatre, the Pelicans Hockey Club, food banks, and a former Marshland student with leukaemia.

Mr Swinburn, who takes part in the run with the students, continued: “We have loads of hockey players representing the school. One of the captains has done all five runs in five years since she came to school as a Year 7, and graduates in Year 11 this year, and some are going to run again this year in a 5K, which is demanding for many of them (and me!), but they do it with a smile on their faces, knowing that putting themselves out results in bettering society – and I think that is wonderful.

“Many have to run-walk-run, but they all complete it and try to have fun at the same time, putting themselves out for others.”

He added: “The school are rightly proud of their pupils, who demonstrate, year in year out, a caring attitude towards local community charities, showing that the youth of today can show kindness, empathy, and really make a difference to others.”

To sponsor the Marshland Pink Ladies, go to: https://gofund.me/4256fed49