In May 2023, we will once again be running our Caterham Cycle Challenge. This year it will run from Monday 8th May 2023 to Friday 12th May 2023, slightly earlier than previous years.

As always, our students will be cycling round Kenley Airfield and complete at least 660km in line with the Gibb Challenge - our inspiration for this event. The Gibb Challenge is truly a mountain biking event like no other and involves cycling 660km, as soloist or as part of a team, over 5 days across the remote Kimberly region of Western Australia, along the Gibb River Road.

In May 2023, some of our students will be taking part in the Australian event working as a team to complete the challenge. This event takes place between the 12th and 19th May hence our home event running slightly earlier than usual. Our students are currently working hard to raise as much sponsorship money as they can to cover the cost of the trip along with fundraising for our immensely worthwhile cause. This year, as with last year, we are raising funds to provide additional Mental Health support for schools in the local area.

After the Covid pandemic, nationally more and more people are struggling with everyday activities due to mental health issues and sadly resources are stretched meaning schools are not able to provide as much as they would like as a result. Rather than accepting this, Sunnydown took the opportunity to invest money raised into providing additional support at Sunnydown, but also at primary schools in the CR3 area. In 2022 we successfully raised just over £18,000 which is currently being used to provide a practitioner twice a week at Sunnydown School and once a week at a local Primary. These weekly interventions work on a six week cycle with four students per cycle. They consist of a 45 minute 1:1 session with each student and a practitioner who works closely with the schools Pastoral Team. All feedback is then given back to parents with regards to the progress made during the sessions.

Friends of Sunnydown (FoS) are also thrilled to be able to host their Music festival on Saturday 3rd June to help raise money for the cycle challenge. Last year it was a great success, and FoS are hoping this years will be equally successful. Please click on the link for more details and to buy tickets. www._____________