SCHOOL RUNS UP BIG DONATION
A group of 23 teachers and parents from West Lodge Primary School in Pinner, Middlesex, ran the Reading Half Marathon and raised more than £4000 for the FACE project. Over the past year the school has organised a number of events to raise money to support the building of the new Ekhaya Lothando School (Home of Love) in Masiphumelele, a township in Cape Town.
Athena Douglas, teacher at West Lodge, set up the school link with FACE and Ekhaya Lothando School in Maisphumelele and had the idea to run the Reading Half Marathon back in October. Miss Douglas set about gathering the staff/parents team together and inspiring teachers and parents alike to take on the challenge.
Since training for the race began back in October a team of teachers and parents could regularly be seen pounding the streets of Pinner on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Overcoming bouts of injury and illness, the team emerged ready to face the challenge on the morning March 2nd.
Headteacher, Kim James, who took part in the run said: “It was great to get the school community of teachers and parents together to run for such a good cause. It was difficult on the day, but we rose to the challenge and achieved it – at West Lodge we all have a growth mindset.”
The Ekhaya Lothando School opened on February 21st 2014 and two pupils from West Lodge were able to visit and be there on the day. Joshua and Julian Luiz, went to visit family in Cape Town during half term, luckliy there trip coincided with the opening of the school so the brothers were invited as guests of honour to represent West Lodge on the day.
Nick Jenkins from FACE said: “Everyone at West Lodge should be very proud of what they have helped to achieve. The new pre school now has three classrooms, and outside play area, a covered play area, and toilets, around the teacher accommodation and kitchen, which is vital as all the children receive a healthy balanced meal each day. The two main teachers Priscilla and Indiana were more thrilled than you can imagine. Indiana was also presented with a new laptop to help with the school administration and FACE is paying for her continued teacher training at a Montessori facility, which she says has opened her eyes to far more advanced education for the children. Our charity partners Masicorp say it is a project they will use as a template to show others what can be achieved.”
![Boys getting involved[1]](https://www.masicorp.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/boys-getting-involved1.jpg)
Thank you West Lodge Primary for this amazing feat. We were honored to host and meet the Luiz family and receive Joshua and Julian as special guests at the creche handover. The Face initiative and your collaboration is inspirational. We will continue to show case this incredible contribution to Early Childhood Development in our country