All schoolchildren should be able to have a good night’s sleep and a hearty, healthy breakfast to set them up for the day.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who disagrees with the above statement.

But for some children, poverty means they may not have a comfortable bed to sleep on before school or are unable to have a filling breakfast at home.

This is why I was proud to play a part in helping a PLMR client raise money to combat this very real issue.

Windsor Academy Trust, which operates 15 schools across the Midlands, created its Bed and Breakfast campaign to ensure all children at its schools can access a comfortable bed and a nutritious breakfast to help them have productive days at school.

To raise money for the campaign, the Trust has organised the annual ‘WAT a Run’ running challenge between all of its schools since 2023 – a total distance of 85km across two days!

This year, PLMR Midlands offered to become headline sponsor of the event, donating £1,500 towards the Bed and Breakfast campaign, and to offer support with press materials and a willing volunteer during the weekend.

Being a keen runner myself, I was only too happy to join the WAT a Run team for a leg of their journey and support the runners who were taking on the entire route.

I met the team as they arrived at Manor Way Primary School in Halesowen. The school’s community of pupils, parents and teachers turned out in their droves to welcome the runners before I joined them on their journey to Windsor Olympus Academy in Winson Green.

Spirits were high. Organiser Martin Lopez, Windsor Academy Trust’s Marketing and Communications Manager and a seasoned ultra-runner, was full of energy and enthusiasm despite having more than 40km in his legs at that point.

The first part of our journey saw us ascend a long hill up towards Quinton. It was a difficult start for the runners who had been out on their feet the day prior and earlier that morning – I was glad I was running on fresh legs!

After that climb, a much-needed pit stop at the Court Oak pub in Harborne allowed the team to take on food and fluids before a relatively flat section north to Winson Green through a picturesque disused railway line and a municipal park.

From speaking to the team along the way, it was clear that most were not hardcore marathoners. Many were just determined to take on the challenge for a cause that really meant a lot to them, which was incredibly inspiring.

As we got closer to Olympus, we began to hear the faint sounds of cheers from the spectators who had stationed themselves at the school to welcome us.

It spurred us on to finish the leg, and take in the encouragement from the huge team of supporters who handed out sandwiches and sweets for those who were continuing to Goldsmith Primary Academy in Walsall.

I wished the team luck for their onward journey and said goodbye. Later that day, I was delighted to see that the team had successfully reached their final destination at Cheslyn Hay Academy in Staffordshire, 85km after starting their journey in Stoke-on-Trent.

This has raised more than £44,000 for Bed and Breakfast so far, with donations still open.

At PLMR, supporting charitable causes is a key goal of the business beyond the wide comms support we provide for our clients. We are proud to have donated five percent of our profits to charitable causes since our foundation in 2006.

Being part of an event like this was a fantastic experience, and the drive of the runners to finish the route was seriously impressive.

To donate, please visit https://heartofenglandcommunityfoundation.enthuse.com/cf/windsor-academy-trust-wat-a-run