Marathon runner leads way at Sherston School (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Marathon runner leads way at Sherston School

10:36am Friday 8th May 2009 in Search By Joe Ware

A London Marathon contestant from Kenya dropped in to visit Sherston School on Tuesday and lead pupils and staff on a sponsored fun run.

Soloman Ndirangu of the Masai tribe ran the 26 mile route through London in three hours 29 mins 43 seconds, only around 20 minutes behind the race winners. The school’s running club set up the fun run, which had more than 120 children and adults, some in fancy dress, dashing around the school field.

Deputy headteacher Debby Liddle said: “It went brilliantly, it was very well supported by both the runners and spectators.

“Solomon spent the day at the school and then ran alongside the children, which we weren’t expecting after his marathon. But I think it gave the children a boost to see if they could catch him up.”

The money raised from the run will go to the Sherston Musul Primary School in Kenya. Mrs Liddle said: “We haven’t yet counted up the money but quite a few parents have said the children did more laps of the field than they were expecting.

“Hopefully we’ll have raised quite a bit.”

Sherston School’s links with Kenya go back over five years, with the new school being opened by Masai elder Erick ole Kasana four years ago.

Mr Ndirangu is raising funds for the Tusk Trust and Kijabe Trust, which includes raising money to build a teacher’s house for the Kenyan Sherston Musul primary school.

It also works to fund conservation and healthcare in communities in Kenya, including the Kijabe Group Ranch, Mr Ndirangu’s home.

Sherston School has established a close link with the Masai community in Loisaba in Northern Kenya over the last few years.

Five years ago Mrs Liddle and Sue Daybell, a parent with children at Sherston, spent ten days in Kenya during the summer holidays taking part in a gruelling building project that saw the construction of a much-needed water tower.

Mrs Liddle, her husband Gordon, and Mrs Daybell returned two years ago to help build a new classroom at Sherston Musul School.

For more information on the links visit www.sherstonmusul.com