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Kids take on triathlon and raise thousands for charity
Thousands of kids have come together to raise thousands of pounds at a charity triathlon.
The Knight Frank Schools Triathlon challenge sees teams of four, aged between seven and 13 partake in cycling, running and swimming.
Showcasing the power of young people to take on a large, team-based challenges, as while coming together as a community to support support fantastic causes.
The national event, came to Clifton College for its fourth year in a row on Sunday.
More than a thousands kids took part, with around 5,000 spectators cheering them on, signs in hand.
Team Insane Pigs fundraised £790 – photo: Restless Development
This year, across 12 triathlons in May and June, 12,000 pupils from over 200 schools across the UK will be coming together to raise more than £1.4m pounds for charity.
Each child must raise £50 to partake which goes to charity Restless Development (who run the events in conjunction with its partners), anything else raised after that goes to the school’s choice of charity.
Year one, ten years ago, they were on two events, raising about £130,000 for charity. Fast forward to last year, they held 11 events and raised around £1.2m for charity.
The success still amazes founder Jim Sewell, that “just a bunch of seven to 13-year-old children doing sports, having fun as a team,” could make such a huge difference to other people’s lives.
Families cheer on their kids as they propel around the track on their bikes – photo: Hannah Massoudi
“We’re not quite a London marathon stage yet, but we’re still very driven to keep growing the series,” Jim says.
When asked about what success looks like, the money fundraised is one thing, but to him and the team he cites the little wins.
He says: “I sometimes get emails from parents going ‘I don’t know what you said in assembly, but my child who has never wanted to do a sporting event is so excited’, or some of the kids can’t ride a bike when we meet them or can’t swim, and this incentivises them to go and learn those life skills.”
There is a huge emphasis on celebrating the kids efforts, rather than the speed at which they swam.
They ensure that it isn’t a big deal if kids don’t finish their laps if they’re struggling, that its okay if someone jumps in and does it for them.
That kind of attitude is obviously working, as kids run around, medals hung over necks, food in hand, soaking up the day.
Staff from Restless Development at their stall – photo: Hannah Massoudi
The kids get to build-up life skills and improve their wellbeing.
He explains that “sport is known as being very good for children everyone’s mental health, but also fundraising and looking outwards, when they see how they’re helping others, it gives them perspective.”
Looking forward he hopes that not only will instil life-long skills, but that it will ensure social impact is always implemented into their thinking.
“When the kids are older, maybe they’re running businesses, they’re governing bigger budgets, they understand that they can make a difference by giving and being inclusive.”
Sidcot Lightning Bolts team who fundraised over 5,165 – photo: Restless Development
Jim generously heaps praise upon the people who contribute to making the day happen, the on-the-day sponsors Knight Frank and Nielsons, the team from Restless, parents and locals giving up their time to steward for the day and the teachers and pupils from Clifton College ensuring everything is smooth sailing.
The success is built on an army of volunteers.
“My poor family friends have been collared year after year, after year,” he laugh.
With 14 venues lined up for next year, growth is only limited by adult volunteer numbers, so they’re on the look-out for any willing participants.
He is particularly grateful to Clifton College, because venues like theirs are given to the team for free, it enables all of the money to go back to charity which Jim highlights is rarely the case due to running costs.
The job entails a lot of travelling, with many of the volunteers delivering assemblies across the country, getting the message out there that their fundraising efforts do make a difference and what that looks like with case studies from countries such as Zimbabwe.
Jim doesn’t do those assemblies any more, but he says when the kids are so invested and overjoyed to participate in the Triathlon, it “makes you realise that all those early mornings were worth it.”
A fine sunny day always makes the exertion of the day easier – photo: Hannah Massoudi
Main photo: Restless Development
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