A headteacher near Burnham-On-Sea is preparing to swim the equivalent of the width of the English Channel to raise funds for new school technology.
Oli Laken, headteacher of Mark First School near Highbridge, will take on the gruelling challenge of swimming 1,352 lengths of a pool on Sunday, December 21st.
His aim is to raise £5,000 to purchase new Chromebooks for pupils at the school.
Mr Laken, who is an accomplished swimmer and a member of the Cheddar Kingfishers Masters squad, was recently ranked ninth in the 200m freestyle at the national championships. He says the challenge is part of a wider school initiative to involve pupils and families.
Children at the school will also be contributing to the distance through a variety of activities, with families invited to sponsor them.
“This is about more than just swimming lengths – it’s about coming together as a school community to achieve something remarkable for our children’s future,” said a spokesperson.
Sponsorship forms are available by emailing office@markfirstschool.co.uk, and an online JustGiving page has been set up for donations at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/markfirstschool-ptfa-2.
All proceeds will go directly towards improving the school’s tech resources.
