Bungay teacher cycling across Iceland to raise money for his school
Chris Webster, a geography teacher is cycling across Iceland to raise money to buy a defibrillator for Bungay High School and another one for the sixth form centre. Picture: James Bass - Credit: Eastern Daily Press © 2016
A Bungay High School teacher is really going the extra mile for his pupils as he prepares to cycle across Iceland.
Geography teacher Chris Webster will take on the 500-mile challenge over four days - all to buy defibrillators for the school.
Mr Webster, who will start the gruelling test of endurance on July 25, said: “Every few years I do first aid training and when I topped mine up we learnt to use defibrillator machines which are amazing.
“Lots of public places and schools are investing in them and we don’t have one.”
Every year the school runs a trip to Iceland, which is where Mr Webster took his inspiration for the challenge from. He and a friend also taking part in the challenge will set off from Egilstaddir in the East of Iceland and are aiming to reach the famous Blue Lagoon in West Iceland on the Thursday evening.
“We’ve been training for it for a long time,” he said. “We’ve done a couple of local bike races and we feel as ready as we can be.”
The duo will be taking all their on kit with them on the journey, which will take them through uninhabited, isolated areas of the country which are exposed to the elements, mountain passes and volcanic desert.
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He said: “We have no idea if we will be able to achieve it, the weather has the potential to be really awful. But we’re going to give it our best shot.”
He has been speaking to pupils in assemblies about the challenge, and Mr Webster hopes to raise £1,000 to buy two defibrillator machines - one for the school and one for the Sixth Form Centre.
And he hopes the pupils will get more than just potentially life-saving equipment from his trek.
“I’m trying to promote the characteristics of endurance and determination. I’ve been preaching to the kids that these are qualities which will help them in life. I want them to think you can achieve things you perhaps didn’t think you could,” he said.
To support Mr Webster, visit https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/acrossiceland
