The team are still training and we are hopeful the event can still go ahead depending upon Government restrictions...
We have a new logo!
Challenge complete!
The distances are cranking up
Taking training out of Lincolnshire...
The importance of pacing...
Why are we running for 24 hours?
This is why we are undertaking this challenge... please sponsor if you can, every little helps! https://www.kindlink.com/fundraising/community-inclusive-trust-/2083
Streamed training from Mr Motivator!
The challenge has been laid down...
Ash Caress, Deputy Head at Ambergate, has been accused of not training hard enough. Here is his response...
Send your 'good luck' messages
Feel free to send your 'good luck' messages to the GANF Facebook and Twitter pages. We've already had some 'likes' from European sporting stars...
Patrycja Sfora, a Polish international ice hockey player with 62 appearances, and Eleanora Giorgi, an Olympic Italian race walker with a World Championship bronze medal to her name, have both 'liked' training posts on Instagram!
The Headteacher is leading the way...
Visit 'GANF' on Facebook to see his progress...
My attempt at stepping up during March...
Half-term training...
James Ellis, Headteacher at Ambergate, is using his half-term wisely to get the miles in...
Joe Bogumsky's training is up and running!
"This time I want to be ready"
"I'm not used to running and trying to transfer some of my climbing skills over to running.
Mr Caress told me a route which is roughly 5km / 3 miles and did that in 30 minutes, which I've been told is a good start.
I'm training for the Greater GANF run at the end of July. I wanted to get a groove on as last time I didn't train at all (mainly because I was the support but ended up running half way round). This time I want to be ready!"
Pupils making a splash first
The GANF community are also preparing for another sporting challenge next month... The Grantham Rotary Swimarathon.
Beginning on Friday 7th February for the entire weekend, almost 300 teams from local schools, groups and businesses will take over the Grantham Meres Leisure Centre as they attempt to swim as many lengths as possible in a relay format for 55 minutes.
Pupils from GANF will fill all eight lanes for their time slot on the opening day, raising money for local causes.
Read the full story here and why the event will be so spectacular...
#greaterGANFrun
As training kicks into full swing, why not show the team your support by sending a tweet with the hashtag #greaterGANFrun
Don't forget, you can also sponsor the team here.
What happened in 2018?
GANF staff organised an epic fundraiser challenge to raise money for an outdoor amphitheatre for their pupils.
James Ellis – Headteacher, Ashley Caress – Deputy Headteacher, Richard Butterworth – Teacher, Matt Page – Instructor, Toby Ellis – Instructor, Joe Bogumsky – Enrichment Co-ordinator, and Darren Wilson – Financial Analyst, completed the #greatGANFrun – a relay-run of 120 miles in 24 hours, across Lincolnshire!
THE CHALLENGE
James, Ash, Richard, Matt, Toby, Joe and Darren began their 24hour Relay-Run on Friday 20th July at 4.10pm from Ambergate Sports College in Grantham, Lincs. The relay then took them over 120 miles across Lincolnshire, running from school to school within the Trust, throughout the night. From Grantham, the boys ran to Caythorpe, Spilsby, Boston, Spalding, and back to Grantham. Arriving back in Grantham at 3.20pm – well within their goal of 24 hours!
During these times of austerity, they all believe strongly in providing over and above the national curriculum for their pupils, so GANF Schools created the #greatGANFrun challenge to raise invaluable funds to install a new mini amphitheatre for the children.
The challenge was followed throughout by Lincs FM and BBC Radio Lincolnshire, and BBC East Midlands Today came down to the finish line to welcome them home, along with pupils, parents and other staff members!
The GANF team raised £2,085 during their challenge.
James Ellis, Headteacher at Ambergate Sports College, said, “We have been blown away by the level of support from everyone who followed us. It gave us a huge incentive to keep going through some very tough moments. We never imagined we would return to Ambergate and have such a fantastic welcome home – thank you so much to everyone who came to support us at the finish line.
“We are unbelievably proud to work for such fantastic schools and for the school to get the level of coverage it did was incredible. We hope to begin installation of the mini amphitheatre for the children, across the summer holidays.”
How to sponsor...
If you would like to sponsor the team, please text “run” plus your donation to 70085 (e.g. Text run20 to make a £20 donation), or click on our fundraising page here.
Welcome!
The ‘Great’ GANF Run just got even greater!
Back in July 2018, six members of staff from Ambergate Sports College, part of Grantham Additional Needs Fellowship (GANF), set off on an epic 24-hour challenge where they ran over 120 miles in 24 hours across Lincolnshire, raising funds to enhance the curriculum for their pupils. Comfortably achieving their target, they have decided to make their new challenge even bigger two years on!
Ambergate Sports College cater for pupils between the ages of 3 and 19 with moderate to severe learning difficulties and complex needs. Their pupils’ needs are wide ranging; many are on the autistic spectrum, with others having ADHD and varying degrees of developmental delay, and some with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. Thus, providing alternative opportunities outside the classroom are vital to the needs and learning requirements of the pupils.
The school is raising money for an outdoor amphitheatre for their pupils. They have £2,905 in the pot, and need to reach a target of £10,000, so they have decided to add an additional 25 miles to the journey, attempting a total of 145 miles in just 24 hours! The run will take in Lincolnshire landmarks along the way.
Beginning at the school in Grantham, the team comprising of eight members of staff will run 5km stints in a relay format with the first checkpoint being Belton House.
From there, they will head to Lincoln and visit both Sincil Bank, home of Lincoln City Football Club, and Lincoln Cathedral.
Throughout the night, the team will take in Tattershall Castle as they head East to Skegness Clock Tower before filtering back towards home via Boston Stump.
With the finish line in sight, the final two landmarks will be Ayscoughfee Hall in Spalding and Grimsthorpe Castle just outside Bourne.
Passionate about both their challenge and the curriculum for Ambergate’s pupils, the ‘Greater’ GANF Run team will be providing live video and text updates throughout the challenge, which you can follow via their GANF Facebook and Twitter pages and right here on VAVEL UK! Don’t forget to also use the hashtag #greaterGANFrun to show your support for the team.
Although the challenge will not commence until the last day of the academic year, Friday 17th July, preparations are already in full flow with plenty of training sessions taking place – particularly as the team know they will be up against the clock with each 5km section needing to average less than 30 minutes across the 24 hours!
The eight-strong team are: James Ellis – Headteacher, Ashley Caress – Deputy Headteacher, Richard Butterworth – Teacher, Ollie Maltby – Teacher, Joe Bogumsky – Enrichment Co-ordinator, Jack Gurney – Sports Apprentice, Chris Lincoln – Schools Communications Champion, Sam Rose – Instructor
The Headteacher of the school, James Ellis, said, “The funds we raised from the last run have allowed us to start preparations for our amphitheatre and pupils have been undertaking performances on a temporary stage. However, to complete the theatre we need additional funding. The theatre will provide pupils with invaluable opportunities to develop their drama skills which in turn will enhance their social skills.
As a staff team, we wanted to try and push ourselves even further by attempting 145 miles in 24 hours which is going to be extremely difficult. The support from the last run was incredible and we will need that support again to make sure we have a chance of achieving this feat.”