James Hodgson
Bedford School's HMC Chariots of Fire Run, James Hodgson
Fundraising for UNICEF UK
Story
Every 9 minutes a new born baby dies from neonatal tetanus which is preventable with a simple vaccine - and yet, amazingly, it costs just 4p to protect a child.
I am joining my fellow Heads on 7th October to recreate the famous 'Chariots of Fire' run on the beach in Scotland at the Headmasters' and Headmistress' Conference. Together we want to raise enough money to protect 6.25 million children from tetanus. The idea is that the Heads from all HMC schools aim to raise £1,000 each - if we achieve this, then we will raise over a quarter of a million pounds for this worthy cause.
If you choose to sponsor me, please do not do so because I have gone to super-human lengths to get myself fit - it is only a short run! It is really for those who feel they might like to give to this cause via UNICEF - the run, I hope, provides an excuse to do so. However, it is also true that Bedford School boys raise more money for Charity than almost any other school in the country, and the competitive part of me thinks that perhaps we could lead the way on this one too! Certainly the Head Master should be contributing something.....
There is, of course, one further fascinating link with Bedford School. Harold Abrahams, who won Olympic Gold in the 100m at the 1924 Olympics, and whose story is told in the film "Chariots of Fire", was (you guessed it) an Old Bedfordian. I would like to think I could do him justice at the very scene of the training runs in the film, at least in a charitable sense if not a physical one!
By supporting today, you can help us save and change the lives of millions of children. Thank you, James Hodgson
For more information on the work of Unicef or HMC please visit: www.unicef.org.uk and www.hmc.org.uk