Graham’s race to raise school’s roof
APARENT fundraiser has raised more than £1,000 and counting in aid of a primary school which suffered flooding during last month’s torrential rain.
Extreme weather on June 17 caused serious flooding to homes, businesses and other properties across the borough, including at St Thomas’ Church of England Primary
School in Newhey
Footage posted on social media at the time showed rainwater flowing in through a closed but non-watertight door on the day the school had welcomed back pupils in Reception, year one and year six after months of lockdown.
Following the incident, which was cleaned up thanks to the extra efforts of the school’s cleaning team, headteacher Rebecca Williams said the school was in need of several repairs including at its front entrance, where the flat roof had ‘essentially been condemned’ and left the entrance ‘not fit for purpose’.
Following the floods, one parent is putting his best foot forward in a 280km fundraising challenge.
Graham Finch, 39, is completing the distance over 28 days and so far has raised over £1,500 via JustGiving.
His wife Laura, 33, who sits on the school’s board of governors, said: “We started with a target of £500 but we’ve just kept putting it up because people keep donating more and more - we weren’t expecting anything like this!
“The response has been unbelievable. People have been amazing and the messages they’ve left on the page have been so lovely, people saying they’re past pupils or they’re teachers and they wouldn’t be where they are without our little school.”
It is not known how much money will be required to replace the school’s roof - so Laura
●●Dad-of-three and running enthusiast Graham Finch is taking on a 280km challenge to raise money for a new roof at St Thomas’ CofE Primary and Graham are just hoping to raise as much as possible, with the current target standing at £2,000.
The couple are parents to Phoebe, seven, Brendan, four, and Pearl, one, with Brendan set to join Phoebe as a St Thomas’ pupil in September.
Laura says she was not aware of the structural repairs needed at the school before becoming a governor and described the June rainfall that flooded the school’s porch as ‘horrendous’.
She said: “Our conservatory flooded as well - we knew there was rain coming but no-one was expecting it to be as bad as it was!”
She added: “We started to realise the school needed a lot of work doing - so now we just want to do as much as possible.”
Laura described Graham as a keen runner, who was due to compete in the Wilmslow Half Marathon
before it was cancelled, instead completing it ‘virtually’ at the start of July to contribute 21km to his goal of 280.
His now daily runs have been taking in a range of scenic routes around the borough, including at Hollingworth Lake and along Rochdale Canal and in all weather conditions.
Commenting on the amount raised via its Facebook page, the school said: “Wow this is so generous! Thank you to every one who has donated so far!”
Laura added: “When we told the school about the challenge they were over the moon!
“They’ve got so much on at the moment, it’s nice to be able to take it off their shoulders a bit.”