BIG-HEARTED staff at Largs Academy campus have completed a charity running challenge - and raised almost £3,400 for Mary’s Meals.

The group of teachers and support staff from the secondary and primary, pictured, trained three times a week to complete the Couch to 5K programme.

Colleagues and family turned out along the promenade to see the hardy runners complete the run at socially distanced intervals.

Organiser Mary Lunday says she is sum raised was just reward for months of hard work.

She said: “We were really pleased with how it all went - and everyone was able to reach their goal of taking part and running the full distance.

“The last few weeks were difficult in the cold and wet but there has been a good team spirit which kept everyone motivated.

“Everyone was really amazed at their own personal achievements. There was a great atmosphere and other members of staff and the public stopped to cheer us on, which really helped.”

Almost £2,500 was raised through the JustGiving page for the challenge, with pupils taking part in a sponsored dress down day at the schools to boost the total by £950.

The overall sum will allow the charity to deliver more than 42,000 meals to those most in need.

Mary says the amount raised was more than the staff could have imagined.

She said: “To raise almost £4,000 is above and beyond anything we ever thought we could achieve. We would have been happy with a quarter of that.

“It’s amazing how much that kind of sum helps the charity. The school has been supporting Mary’s Meals for a while, but to raise so much was superb.

“We need to say a massive thank you to the school and the wider community, who have supported us massively.

“The pupils donated on the day and some parents also donated on the site. The school community has really rallied round."

Mary says staff are already looking towards their next fundraising challenge.

She said: “We would love to make this an annual event and we have set our sights on a 10k in spring next year as our next goal.

“Everyone seems really keen to keep the momentum up, we are going to go out after school some days and keep up the running.

“From a health perspective, the challenge has been really good as everyone is anxious about all that is going on with the pandemic and it’s been a real stress-buster.

“It has helped the charity, kept us fit and has been great for camaraderie and keeping spirits up amongst staff.”

Donations are still welcome at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mary-lunday3