Sixty-five local children will be running later this month to raise money for play equipment and picnic seating in the playground at Broughton Primary School.
The pupils are taking part in the 1.5km and 2km events of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on Saturday 28 May.
They aim to raise £2,500, which will go towards improving exterior areas grown shabby after two years of adjacent housing development, new classroom builds, essential maintenance of the school’s Victorian structure, and the inevitable wear and tear that results from growing numbers of enthusiastic young people all tiptoeing about carefully like herds of wildebeest in a fish tank.
Small sums will also go to top up each class’s ‘culture fund’, used for trips around Edinburgh to places such as Craigmillar Castle, Gladstone's Land and the Water of Leith Visitor Centre.
One step at a time
The Parent Staff Association is co-ordinating (and part-funding) the effort as one step towards their ultimate goal of raising £25,000.
They’ve had generous help in kind from the Tesco Local Champion Scheme and Lothian Buses, but now they’re also appealing to the neighbouring community – many of whose family members use the playground even if they don’t attend the school.
‘We feel this is a great example of a community working together to improve our environment and our children’s health,’ says PSA Chair Nicola Clark-Tonberg. ‘It also shows how the children are taking responsibility for making their own school experience better, as well as having fun into the bargain.’
At a time of straitened economic circumstances and diminishing budgets, Spurtle considers this a pragmatic and inspiring response.
If you have a contribution – great or small – you can deliver it securely by following this Virgin MoneyGiving link to the Broughton Primary School Trust.
We’ll return to this story soon with an update and some exciting, top-secret developments.
