Teachers in ship-shape condition

A team of teachers will compete in a race in the confines of a home-made pirate ship, designed with the help of pupils.

Staff from Kingsford Primary School in Aberdeen are taking part in the Dandara 5k on Saturday, and decided to complete the circuit in a fashion which would make Long John Silver proud.

The eight-strong crew are preparing for the race with “training voyages” to get used to running while inside the wooden structure. Six teachers will carry the ship while two run alongside.

Deputy head teacher, Gary Bain, said: “As primary school teachers, we’re quite resourceful so when we had some framing left over from a school project, we thought it would be great fun to create a lightweight ship and compete as a pirate crew. We felt it was important to get some of the children involved so we are getting some of the pupils to help decorate the ship. We may not be the fastest team but we’ll hopefully raise some smiles and lots of money for charity.”

Teaching staff Fiona Mennie, Nicole Baillie, Caitlin McHardy, John Roach, Jillian Markie, Nicola Kingston, Gillian Muldoon and Gary Bain will run the race in aid of Jak’s Den, which was selected as charity of choice by the school’s pupil council. Jak’s Den provides support to children and young people with cancer and related illnesses, their families, friends and those bereaved.

Dandara’s sales director, Peter Best, said: “The teachers at Kingsford are the epitome of what the Dandara 5k is all about.”

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