Two marathons all in a day’s work for teacher

Dundee music tutor runs to Brechin High and back to raise cash for Africa trip

A music teacher chalked up the equivalent of two marathons – and squeezed in a day’s work in between – to raise money for a school trip to Rwanda.

Andrew Taylor, 27, ran more than 26 miles from his home in Dundee to Brechin High School, where he helped his pupils prepare for their exams, before running all the way home again.

Colleagues from his Dundee Roadrunners club joined him for the last few painful miles yesterday to provide support and motivation.

Andrew, who has only been running seriously for three years, said he carried out the feat to bring a bit of “shock” and “surprise” to his fundraising efforts.

He said: “I wanted to do something different. I wanted to do something excessive to raise money for the trip.”

Andrew completed the Cateran 55-mile ultramarathon through the Angus and Perthshire glens last year, so is no stranger to a challenge.

His extreme commute was to raise money for a school trip that will teach pupils about the Rwandan genocide.

The school is hoping to collect £16,000 to send 10 pupils to the country in central Africa.

Andrew set personally but out to raise £800 friends, family and colleagues have pledged more than £1,000.

The run home was the hardest part of the challenge and he reckons it will take him at least two weeks to fully recover.

“In the morning the adrenaline pushed me through. Then at school the pupils appreciated what I was doing and asked questions about it,” he said.

“The way back was the hardest. There are a couple of big hills on the route home.

“It’s important that the trip is fully funded so that it’s open to all pupils, regardless of background.”

Ten pupils from the school’s fourth

In the morning the adrenaline pushed me through. ANDREW TAYLOR

and fifth years have been selected to go on the trip.

The youngsters will meet young mothers, widows and others still affected by the Rwandan genocide that took place in 1994.

More than 800,000 people are thought to have been killed in 100 days.

“It is important that young people learn about the history behind it so something like it can never happen again,” Andrew added.

Donations can be made at Andrew’s Just Giving page, www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/run-brechin-rwanda

Picture: Paul Smith. Andrew Taylor with Brechin High pupils, back from left, Rachel Burke, Meggan Massie and Stuart Cameron, and, front, Erin Hoggins and Callum Milne.