It may have been an overcast afternoon, but the weather failed to dampen spirits of hundreds of staff and pupils who combined to help raise money to fight cancer.

Sir John Leman High School in Beccles, have been supporting Cancer Research UK since 2011 having raised an incredible £77,064 over the years – with half of all fundraising being restricted to Children and Young Peoples cancer.

To celebrate their 10th year of ‘Leman for Life’, pupils and staff were resplendent in festival themed fancy dress last week.

The annual Leman for Life event on Wednesday, June 30, saw pupils and staff walking, jogging and running a 5km route, in conjunction with Beccles Friends of Cancer Research UK and Bungay Black Dog Runners.

Raising much needed funds for Cancer Research UK once more, Donna Harmer, Business Operations Manager at Sir John Leman School, said: “We are thrilled to be able to hold Leman for Life again this year, after being unable to hold it properly last year due to Covid-19.

“All students and staff get involved in the event and it has a great community spirit.

“This charity is fantastic and has worked with so many families, which is why we have supported it for so long.

“It might have been an overcast afternoon but that wasn’t going to dampen the spirits of over 1,000 of us as the SJLHS school community.

“It was lovely to hear lots of laughter and hear the support of the marshals along the way.”

With the final tallies still being counted, £2,500 has already been raised and Mrs Harmer added: “We hope to smash the £80,000 barrier for the total raised over the years!”

Debbie Adams, Cancer Research UK’s Relationship Manager for Suffolk said: “We are thrilled that Sir John Leman School has supported us for the last 10 years and raised such a fantastic amount for us.

“The school are so committed to helping us raise much needed funds.

“It really is a wonderful event!

“We can’t thank Sir John Leman School enough for their support and want to wish them the very best on the day.”