A GROUP of students from a Basingstoke school undertook a unique challenge to row the distance from Dover to Dunkirk in an effort to raise money for refugees from Ukraine.

Brighton Hill Community School students completed the marathon challenge of rowing 70km on a single rowing machine at their school.

The fundraising event was held last Friday, and the students are hoping to raise more than £1,000.

The money will be handed over to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

READ MORE: Where to drop donations for Ukraine in Basingstoke

The challenge was launched by the Brighton Hill school’s Student Council, which organised the whole event – right down from getting the advertising posters and sponsorship forms to speaking to the Senior Leadership Team to request time out of lessons to complete the challenge.

Mr Peter Beeching, assistant headteacher and head of Year 11, said: “The rowing machine was placed in one of the central locations in the school for the day so that all of the students and staff could come and show their support.

“Students were able to bring money to donate on the day, whilst the Student Council worked hard throughout the preceding week to get as much sponsorship as they could.

“The event was arranged for the DEC Ukranian Appeal, as the students were keen to raise funds after seeing the appalling images from Ukraine over the last three weeks.”

Throughout the seven-hour challenge, spirits were kept high by the students supporting and encouraging each other, showing their commitment and collaboration.

The 15 students on the school's Student Council shared out the distance fairly equally and were all visibly exhausted by the end of the day.

Even some of the teachers got a chance to contribute to the distance, as they could take a turn for a minimum donation of £5.

SEE ALSO: Coppice Spring School partially closed due to staff shortages following Covid outbreaks

The challenge was finally completed at 3.15pm, with the rowing machine being in constant use from 8.15am.

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