Shrewsbury pupils walk 750 miles in support of Ukrainian families

To help the children understand the situation in Ukraine, Prestfelde School walked a collective 750 miles to match the walking distance from Ukraine to Poland, that each family fleeing the conflict will have made. The walk saw then them carrying heavy bags and water bottles to give the children a small perspective on the journey that families are making.

Future fundraising activities for the pupils will include a blue and yellow non-uniform day, a cake stall run by the Friends of Prestfelde and the sponsoring of the planting of blue and yellow flowers in the gardens.

Before the youngsters set off, Prestfelde School head Fiona Orchard said: "We want to help, and to demonstrate our unity and our empathy with the people of Ukraine.

"Everyone at Prestfelde will be taking part in a walk on the school grounds planned by the Pupil Council.

"The children want their peers to learn more about Ukraine on their walk and to carry out the walk wearing the Ukraine colours showing respect to the families that are going through hardship.

"We will also be asking the children to empty out their piggy banks and to bring their pennies to school as we attempt to cover a huge Ukrainian Map kindly supplied by one of our parents, with donations."

To enable more sizeable donations to be given, the school has also set up a Just Giving page, and invite families at the school and the local community to contribute to as well.

All of the money raised will be sent to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) which brings together 14 leading UK aid agencies to raise money at times of humanitarian crisis.

The school's just giving page can be found at justgiving.com/fundraising/prestfelde-school1