On Saturday 1 April, ‘Team Solihull’, a 25 strong group of Solihull School pupils, staff and parents, past and present, will undertake the 50km Easter Ultra Challenge.

The team, led by Mark Penney, Head of Solihull Prep School, and his wife Donna, are participating in the ‘Windsor Walk’ to support Sri Lanka's poorest people, many of whom do not have regular and safe access to uncontaminated running water, by fundraising to build wells for families and to provide fresh water supplies for schools.

Mr Penney said: “This is the second Ultra Challenge Team Solihull has undertaken. From the minute we suggested our latest initiative, colleagues were eager to sign up. The team quickly grew and training is well underway!”

“We are keen to raise funds to assist with health, hygiene and hydration issues in Sri Lanka, which in turn adversely affect both livelihoods and education. Many children are missing school because of contaminated water illnesses. Our goal is to transform the health of our beneficiaries, teach them to grow crops for their own use, and to sell, and to keep children in school. The Board of IMHO USA has very generously offered to match everything we raise, up to $20,000 (circa £18,000). This paves the way for us to double our impact.”

The 50km Easter Ultra Challenge will start at Windsor Racecourse, looping through the Great Park, Windsor Castle, Runnymede and along the Thames Path.

The Penney family and the Solihull School community have supported charities in Sri Lanka’s poorest people over a number of years, raising funds for educational, medical and livelihood projects across the poorest parts of the country.

You can sponsor ‘Team Solihull’ by clicking HERE.

You can find out more about the Water Wells campaign here: Assist RR Water Wells Campaign.

A typical shallower dug-out well currently costs about £500 and a deeper tubed borehole well costs approximately £1000. Should individual or family donors sponsor a well in full, we will include a naming plaque and send photos in return.