Lord Mayor of Portsmouth starts 10km charity walk

Girls from Year 5 to 13 walked a 10km circular route from school along Southsea seafront. This year, the walk is focusing on raising awareness of the ONE Campaign together with raising money in support of the Sixth Form’s chosen charity, Children on the Edge.

ONE is a campaigning and advocacy organisation of more than 9 million people around the world taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.  Children on the Edge, the charity supported by the current Sixth Form, makes a difference for thousands of marginalised children who are living on the edge of their societies around the world. Many are driven from their homes by conflict, neglected or persecuted by their own governments, ignored by the international media and missed by large overseas agencies.

The annual walk is a moment for the girls to walk together in solidarity and raise vital funds and awareness of these two organisations. The walk was officially started by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Lee Mason.

‘It is wonderful that the students are choosing and supporting their own selected charities and raising awareness for vital international organisations.’

Headmistress, Mrs Jane Prescott, added:

‘The girls at Portsmouth High School appreciate their education and have a very strong sense of social responsibility. We are walking today because we believe that all girls, wherever they live, should be treated as equals and have a right to go to school and we support The One Campaign in all that they are doing for gender equality.  The work that Children on the Edge do to support marginalised children is of real importance to us too.’

Rachel Kellagher, 18, Head Girl, said:

‘It was a privilege to be able to lead the girls in today’s walk to raise money for girls across the world who don’t have access to the same education and freedoms as we do and to support our charity Children on the Edge.’