A school in Carlisle have shown a tremendous level of generosity after raising over £5,800 for a local charity during the summer months.

Students and staff at Central Academy are celebrating after the success of their fundraising efforts to raise money for local charity, Eden Valley Hospice.

Over the space of a week in July, students from Years 7 to 10 took part in a sponsored walk across Central Fields with an overall goal of raising £1,500 for the local hospice. Each day, students were accompanied by members of the Senior Leadership Team, their Heads of Year, their Tutors, and Support Staff as they joined together to participate in the sponsored walk.

In a period of three days, students walked around Central Fields more than 12,000 times, with staff adding another few thousand laps to the already impressive count. Working together towards a common goal, there was an overwhelming level of support among the participants who encouraged each other to walk further each day.

Thanks to the support and generosity of the entire school and local community, students and staff far exceeded their fundraising target, raising a total of £5,819. On Monday, the school’s Principal Dan Markham presented a cheque to the hospice on behalf of all those who took part.

Providing care for adults with life limiting illnesses in North Cumbria, the donation will help the Hospice with delivering assistance for their patients.

The hospice currently has an Adult In-Patient Unit for people in need, which hosts 12 beds, with eight single en-suite rooms and a four bed-room. The home from home environment creates a relaxing atmosphere for patients and families with each room overlooking the beautiful walled garden.

There is also a Day Hospice which provides care for up to 15 people a day, four days a week. The hospice allows the patients, nurses and volunteers to exchange stories.

Dan Markham, Principal at Central Academy, said: “I couldn’t be more proud of our school community for coming together and raising such an inspiring sum for Eden Valley Hospice. The dedication, hard work and friendly competition our students and staff demonstrated has certainly paid off and I am delighted to be able to present this cheque on their behalf. Giving back to the local community is an integral aspect of our school’s commitment to delivering an Education with Character, through which we strive to develop our young people into respectful and ambitious individuals.”