On Tuesday July 8, pupils and staff at Dartmouth Academy waved off the first runner from Oppidan Education as they began ‘The School Run’ - an ambitious 200-mile fundraising run from Dartmouth to London in support mentoring for young people and the fight against childhood morning hunger.

The event marks the launch of a major campaign aiming to £100,000, with proceeds being split between The Oppidan Foundation and Magic Breakfast.

While they’re currently at around £5,000, the team remains committed and optimistic, , continuing to build momentum and support throughout the duration of the run.

The challenge kicked off Dartmouth Academy - the furthest partner school in Oppidan’s network from their London office, – and will conclude 3.5 days later at their headquarters in Hammersmith.

The entire Oppidan team will take part in the relay-style run, with co-founders Henry Faber and Walter Kerr among six runners at the school for the launch, with Kerr running the first leg.

Oppidan Education supports children through one-to-one mentoring that focuses on building confidence and resilience. Its charitable arm, The Oppidan Foundation, provides grants to support mentoring in state-funded UK schools.

This year marks a milestone in the growing partnership between Oppidan Education and Education South West, with hundreds of students across the trust benefitting from personalised mentoring.

Sessions have taken place at Dartmouth Academy, and involved pupils from Teign School, KEVICC, Kingsbridge Community College, and Coombeshead Academy.

Magic Breakfast provides healthy breakfasts and expert support to over 300,000 children and young people across the UK every school day.

Their mission is to ensure no child is too hungry to learn, with research showing that children who eat breakfast at school make two to three months’ additional progress in a year.

Lindsey MacDonald, CEO of Magic Breakfast, said:

“Too many children start the day too hungry to learn, and that simply has to change.

“We’re thrilled to be part of The School Run, an inspiring effort that highlights how mentoring and nourishment go hand in hand in helping children reach their full potential.”

Henry Faber, Co-Founder of Oppidan Education, said:

“This run symbolises what we believe in, going the distance for young people.

Through the foundation and partnerships like the one we have with Dartmouth Academy, we want to unlock the potential in every student, no matter where they live or what they face.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West, said:

“We are proud to support this run, which represents more than just miles, it’s about making opportunity and nourishment real for all children.

We believe every young person should have access to mentoring and a healthy start to the day.”

Paul Girardot, Headteacher at Dartmouth Academy, said:

“It’s been a joy to see our pupils thrive through their mentoring with Oppidan this year and we were delighted to host the launch of ‘The School Run.’

“Watching our pupils wave off the first runner was a moment of real pride, not just for Dartmouth Academy, but for what education can achieve when communities come together.”

You can donate to the fundraiser at: https://tinyurl.com/4zwkyz8d