Eastbourne College girls complete mammoth Pier to Pier charity walk

21 May 2019

On Sunday 24 March, the girls of School House took on their biggest charity challenge yet, and embarked on a 26-mile walk along the beautiful Sussex coast, from Eastbourne Pier to Brighton Pier.

All School House girls and members of staff walked from Eastbourne Pier to Brighton Pier in a huge charity walk to raise money for Plan International, who promote girls’ education worldwide, Bone Cancer Research Trust and Eastbourne Networx, a local charity that supports refugees. The girls also used the ‘Pier-to-Pier’ concept to raise awareness of the dangers of peer-on-peer abuse which harms the lives of many young people.

Such was the length of the walk, many of the fitness trackers that staff and pupils wore simply ran out of battery but one or two did survive, notching up some impressive statistics.

557 minutes spent walking (the last to finish did so in a little under 12 hours)

46.39km

4,127 calories burned

67, 263 steps and 267 floors climbed

The group set off early to glorious weather, starting with the highest hill towards Beachy Head and over to the magnificent Seven Sisters and along the coast to Brighton. At Cuckmere, they encountered an unavoidable path which was flooded up to knee height in places but they pressed on despite wet feet.

Thirty-three girls made it to the end, and all girls surpassed all expectations, taking themselves way beyond what they thought they were capable of. They were full of high spirits despite the aches, pains and many blisters that developed along the way. It was a fantastic community effort.

Many thanks to the parents that came to support the girls, the minibus drivers that provided food and dry socks along the way, and the staff who led the route.

The girls set up a fundraising page and have raised over £4500 for their chosen charities. Well done to all who took part and thank you to all of those who have donated.