A PARENT has taken on a running challenge to raise money in memory of a headteacher who died during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Patrick Robinson, a parent of a child at Roose Community Primary School set himself a 100 lap challenge in memory of the late headteacher Wendy Jacobs.

Mr Robinson is aiming to raise ‘as much money as possible’ from his run to help fund the creation of a garden or green space with plants, trees and a seating area at the school.

It will be for pupils to visit and remember Mrs Jacobs’ who has been described as a 'warm, kind and fantastic person'.

Yesterday, children went to school armed with donations, sports gear and words of support for Mr Robinson as they cheered him on for his 99th lap.

Taking to the school’s social media page, acting headteacher Jenny Redhead said: “What a lovely start to Friday morning. All the children loved cheering Pat as he went past school on lap 99. It was a very emotional but happy occasion.”

The fundraiser has been running 2.4 miles every day for the last 99 days, with his final lap today taking him a whopping 22 miles from Grange, where Mrs Jacobs lived, all the way to Roose.

Mrs Redhead said: “At school, we have had a sports clothes theme and children have brought a donation in.

“We all cheered Pat as he ran past school on his lap and we have put some posters on the front fence.

“All the children have run laps of our daily mile track during the day in support of Pat.”

As he completed his 99th lap, children from the school lined the street to wave flags emblazoned with ‘100 laps’ to show their support.

Mr Robinson said: “It was uplifting to see them all outside with the flags and posters that they had made and the cheering was amazing - they were so loud!

“The amount of money raised today was also outstanding.”

After the first count of the donations the school revealed that £500 had been raised so far by the pupils.

Mrs Redhead said: “Mrs Jacobs would be so proud and she would have loved this morning. Thank you everyone.” To donate to the cause, visit: gofundme.com/f/one-hundred-laps-endless-memories