Get Biking: School Signs up to 'Get Fit, Get Healthy, Get Giving'

The Cathedral School of Llandaff has become the first school in Wales to sign up to the Noah's Ark Appeal's Get Fit, Get Healthy, Get Giving campaign. Pupils at the school are getting on their bikes and pedalling their way to fitness, to raise money for a teenage cancer unit at the Children's Hospital for Wales .

With research showing that children are far less active than those from previous generations, the Noah's Ark Appeal is aiming to raise money and improve the lifestyles of pupils across Wales at the same time.

The Cathedral School of Llandaff has taken on the challenge by organising a sponsored cycle ride, where pupils of all ages will be getting on their bikes and taking to various terrain to pedal their way to a huge total for the Noah's Ark Appeal.

Above: Megan Buckley, Rhiannon Hickinbottom, William Jones, Tim Probert, and Henry Tonks from Llandaff Cathedral School prepare for the Bikeathon with Jonathan Davies.

Older children will be raising money for their fellow teens by tackling a challenging course in Brecon, while toddlers from the nursery will make their way around a course set up in the school grounds.

"We are obviously very concerned with the area of child health," said Chairman of Trustees, Lyn Jones. "We now have a world-class hospital for the sick children of Wales , but we want children to take every step possible to make sure they stay as fit and as healthy as they can. By raising money for a teenage cancer unit, we hope that children and teenagers across Wales will be inspired to keep fit to prevent the onset of preventable illnesses, such as cancer and diabetes, in later life."

Every penny raised from the school's fundraising will go towards the £300,000 the Noah's Ark Appeal need to complete funding for the Teenage Cancer Unit. The unit will be built adjacent to the recently completed Children's Hospital for Wales , linking the children and adult oncology wards.

The campaign is being run in conjunction with the government initiative, Health Challenge Wales, that aims to motivate the people of Wales to better health.

If you would like to find out more, get involved, or register for a pack for your school or group, please telephone Roz Robinson or Sian Owen on 029 2033 5352 or email enquiries@noahs-ark-appeal.org.

Media enquiries to Roz Robinson.  Telephone 029 2033 5016.