Twenty-five 14 year old students about to cycle from London to Paris…Again!

Gartree High School are once again embarking on an epic adventure to raise money for The Children’s Trust: For Children with Brain Injury after being inspired by the story of BMX’er Jamie McKechnie.

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In 2011 Jamie was the victim of a ‘one punch’ assault on the streets of South London suffering a life changing traumatic brain injury.  He spent a year in neuro-rehab starting the road to recovery which will continue for the rest of his life.  Recently he celebrated being able to sit on and ride his beloved BMX bike.

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Inspired by Jamie’s story and how ‘one punch’ can change someone’s life forever Ben Rackley, Deputy Headteacher at Gartree High School in Oadby, led an assembly sharing Jamie’s story with students.  Ben said, “Jamie’s story impacted us all despite not knowing him.  We decided to plan a charity cycle ride to Paris and raise money for The Children’s Trust.

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“Students cycle in relays from London to Paris over the course of three days completing 10 mile segments as part of a team.  Each student taking part is asked to raise a minimum of £250, although many last year far exceeded this figure and, of course, anyone wishing to support us from the wider community including our business community would be very welcome indeed.”

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The ride starts on the 13th September with students returning to Leicester on the 16th September and, to date, 25 students have signed-up together. Adds Ben, “It’s my hope that taking part in this challenge and positively impacting children with brain injuries will help our students, as well as other children and young people, think twice before acting in haste or in violence. Jamie’s story demonstrates how quickly a person’s life can be turned upside down, not to mention the lives of his family and friends.  Jamie’s love of BMX’ing together with his story has inspired us to undertake this tough cycling challenge and I couldn’t be more proud of the students who have already signed-up to take part.”

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For more information on The Children’s Trust and the work they do please visit: https://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/

Gartree High School is a vibrant and thriving Leicestershire high school based in the local community of Oadby, that educates around 800 pupils.  A special feature of our school is the enrichment opportunities devised through the creative energies of our staff.  Such activities develop a full range of skills and provide memorable experiences for our pupils.

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To find out more about this challenge, please contact Ben Rackley via email – brackley@gartree.leics.sch.uk

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