Cadets complete epic Help for Heroes challenge
Cadets at Phoenix Collegiate have completed an extraordinary challenge in support of the Help for Heroes charity.
Determined to honour a fallen hero and symbolically bring them home from Normandy, students from the school’s Combined Cadet Force set themselves a formidable target: to cover 350 miles – the equivalent of more than 1,000 laps of the school track – by running, walking or cycling.
As if that were not demanding enough, the cadets also pledged to collectively lift the weight of a Second World War tank using equipment in the school gym.
The event began under grey, wet skies, but the conditions did nothing to dampen the spirits of the students. Urged on by staff and supporters, the team pushed far beyond their original goal. By the finish, cadets had travelled an astonishing 585.5 miles and lifted the equivalent of not one but four WWII tanks – a combined total of more than 100,000 kilograms.
Squadron Leader Luke Horobin praised the effort, saying: “The students showed incredible resilience, determination, and morale in challenging conditions.”
The final fundraising total for Help for Heroes was £457.27 the cadets say they are immensely proud of what they have achieved and grateful for the encouragement they received from the wider school community.
