Warm-hearted schoolchildren raise £3.5k for Pakistan flood relief efforts

Children from an Oldham school have raised an amazing £3,500 for the Pakistan flood relief efforts with the help of the ‘Running Man’ of Oldham.

Afruz Miah, the ‘Running Man’, is famous for running from Oldham to London while fasting in the month of Ramadan.

Laura Carruthers, a teacher at St Thomas School in Werneth, takes up the story.

She said: “I run the school council which is comprised of children from each year group.

“Children voted for their class councillor, then as a council we decided on a number of charities we want to raise money for over the year.

"The children have collected money for food banks, Children in Need and for the Pakistan Flood Appeal.

"They will raise funds for six different causes.

"The flood appeal is the latest one they have raised money for."

She added: “The Running Man’s daughter is in year six and we found out about his fundraising campaigns.

"I contacted him and asked if he could come into the school as an inspirational person.

“I told him that we wanted to do a run and he suggested that he would join the fundraising run.”

Every single year group took part.

It involved doing a lap of the school pitch, and there was also a sponsored race.

Laura continued: “We raised over £3,500.

"Mr Miah ran with us, which was really great and the children were inspired by him.

“One of the parents started running as well.

"We were overwhelmed by the amount of money we raised from generous parents.

“We have never raised such a large sum in any of our campaigns.

"There are prizes for the children, Mr Miah has ordered some tablets, and medals for the children.

“The whole school was involved apart from nursery class.

"We have just over four hundred pupils who attend our school.

“The money raised will go to Global Relief Trust (GRT) as Mr Miah works with that charity.

"They will provide photos and videos of how the money is spent.

"We will talk about it with the children and parents.

"We have one child in year six who raised £400 on her own!

“We want all the children to understand that they are very fortunate and to learn about the deprivation of people around the world.

“A lot of our families are from a Pakistani background, so the flood appeal is close to home for them.

“Our students are from a mixture of backgrounds including Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Romanian and African.

"The community is about 90 per cent South Asian.

“In the future we will donate to three other charities that the children have chosen.

"We hope to work with Mr Miah again as he has offered to help us in any way possible.

“We also want to bring in Akky Rahman, the first Bangladeshi to climb Mount Everest.

“We are really proud of our children, who have spearheaded the campaign.

"I helped with their ideas and organisation, but fundamentally this effort came from them.

"It was they who raised this money.”

'Running Man' Afruz said: “Recently I’ve been requested by a number of schools and colleges to talk about my journey in life, my previous health issues, charity work and receiving a BEM.

“Hopefully this will inspire and motivate them, I hope the children realise that if I could do it, then they will be able to do the same and more.

“I am happy to go into schools and colleges as long as it helps to promote physical and mental well-being.”

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