I am running the Leeds Half Marathon on Sunday 10th May.

My hope is to raise funds to support the "Out There" project, run by Outwood Academies Trust, to support students in engaging in community based projects and activities, whilst also developing their own personal skills and self-esteem.

Outwood City Fields specifically, serves a community with high levels of deprivation and crime rates 183% higher than the national average, so engaging our youngsters in positive action can result in long-term change for them and their community.

More information on the specifics of the programme can be found below.

"Out There 2026"

The Why

Out There was established in response to community unrest in 2024, with the core mission of empowering pupils to drive positive change and redefining how young people contribute to society. The initiative aims to facilitate children and young people in undertaking meaningful and sustainable voluntary work, which in turn strengthens their connections with local communities.

The 2026 programme has been reimagined to be more inclusive and impactful. While the competition element remains, the focus has moved away from pupils winning prizes and towards a genuine desire to make a sustainable difference. Colleagues are also encouraged to engage in voluntary or fundraising work to set an example for pupils.

The What

Working in teams of between two and four, pupils develop and deliver a community action project, aligned with one of the six competition categories.

i) Build Relationships

ii) Be A Sustainability Superstar

iii) Boost Community Wellbeing

iv) Build An Inclusive Community

v) Make Your Community Safer

vi) Innovate

Pupils must form a team of between two and four members. Teams must comprise either primary pupils (Years 1-6) or secondary pupils (Years 7-13) only. Teams cannot include a mix of primary and secondary pupils.

Project activity must be done in pupils’ own time (eg. after school, at weekends and during school holidays) between February half term and 31 August. Teams document their planning, risk assessment, progress, impact and volunteer hours in their log book which they submit for judging after the summer holidays.

Participation will be recognised at multiple levels, starting with the national winners. This means no single team will access more than one prize.

19 National Winning Teams (comprising bronze, silver, gold per category and one overall winner)

27 Community Recognition Awards (three per community. NB. Primary will be judged as a single community)

42 School Recognition Awards

Every participant will receive a certificate to acknowledge their contribution. All prize packages will be experiential, such as VIP theme park experiences, which will be centrally coordinated to ensure age-appropriateness and equity across schools.