By Community Correspondent Anita Chagar

Lampton School’s Psychology teacher, Ms Polly Shoebridge, managed to run 16 miles, walk the local park and host a pre-marathon pasta party all in support of Water Aid.

On Wednesday 31st March Lampton Park was covered in a sea of blue when local Sixth Form students and staff held a sponsored walk. The money raised from all events is put towards improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest communities.

So how did the whole idea come about? ‘A friend of mine went to Africa and was working for a charity there. They found that they would walk for miles and miles without any water, until they came across one Water Aid pump which provides for a whole community. When they told me this I felt that the situation needed to be changed. My running and other sponsored activities are for a really great cause, and I’m hoping everyone else can see that too,’ explains Polly Shoebridge.

Aman Nagra from Year 12, who participated in the non-uniform day and the sponsored walk, said, ‘the walk helped raise awareness of Water Aid. It is pleasant to have a sense of togetherness and it was nice to see the whole of the Sixth Form in blue, walking around the park despite the terrible weather. I thought it was very successful and am glad to be helping such an amazing cause.’ On

Sunday 11th April Polly took part in a 16 mile breakfast run in Kingston to further her support for Water Aid. ‘I’ve been training really hard for this marathon although I came down with a cold recently which put me out of training for a while. The support I’ve received from family, friends, students and staff has been incredible. With so much backing I now have more confidence in myself to complete the marathon,’ describes Polly before the run.

The long and exhausting road to the marathon now completed, Polly expresses her after-thoughts on the whole event: ‘the marathon was hot, hard and hilly – all the things one would not want in a marathon – but it was a great day and a great atmosphere for all the spectators and runners. Lots of money has been raised which is the main thing. I managed to finish the run with sunburn and a Personal Best of 3hrs 42 mins!’

Currently, Polly is nearing the £500 target of total money raised for all of her efforts, which includes a pre-marathon pasta party. £15 is enough for Water Aid to enable one person to gain access to a lasting supply of safe water and sanitation. £152 could pay for one composting toilet in Nepal. £450 could pay for a hand pump providing water for 100 people in Bangladesh. Water Aid uses money where the need is greatest.

For more information on Water Aid visit http://www.wateraid.org/uk/

To donate directly to Polly Shoebridge and her activities visit http://original.justgiving.com/pshoebridge