A Dulwich teacher is running the London Marathon to raise funds for her old primary school – which she also works at.
Anna Townsend, the Music Lead at Goose Green Primary School, is lacing up her trainers ready for this Sunday.
The 42-year-old teacher, who went to Goose Green as a child, said she had planned to do the Marathon in 2021.
“I had trained for that one,” she told us, “But when it was cancelled that all went out the window.”
When they were able, Anna ran a virtual marathon with some friends from Bristol to Bath – although she admitted she ‘hates running.’
However, a special cause is just what she needed to be inspired to enter this year.
“I’m raising money for the music department,” she told us.
“There’s a company that makes human-powered music sets – but they’re expensive so I’m trying to fundraise for one at our school.”
The sets, made by the company Electric Pedals, teach kids about science whilst making music on the built-in instruments.
“They also give kids the chance to ride a bike – something lots of them have never done before.”
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As well as the new equipment, the rest of the money raised will go towards kitting out their refurbished school library with new books.
To chip into the pot, 100 children from the school will run the mini-marathon on Saturday 20 April.
Thinking back to her time as a pupil, Anna said it’s ‘not something’ she had the chance to do. “We never had a playground – it was all concrete.
“Running was never something we did.”
With a whole school behind her, Anna said she’s motivated by her students – “They’ll be tracking me during the race on the Marathon app and lots have said they’re going to come and meet me at various checkpoints too.”
“The kids are relying on me.”
Donate to Anna’s cause here.
