Virtual balloon race to raise funds for primary school

Primary school pupils will be holding a virtual balloon race to raise money for new school equipment.

Pupils at Rhydri Primary School, in Rudry, will be designing their balloons online and then racing them against each other.

The race will start on May 1 and will be simulated over a seven-day period.

The race will be open to anyone who wants to take part, not just pupils.

It is hoped the money raised will go towards iPads, PE equipment and more.

The event was the brainchild of the Parent Teacher Association at the school, which has in previous years held fundraising events, such as winter fayres and sports days, to help raise money to buy extra equipment for the school.

Parent Governor Nicola Richards, who has two children at the school, said the coronavirus pandemic has made fundraising difficult.

She said: “With face to face events on hold because we can’t get together as a school family, the PTA has had to come up with new ideas to raise money.

“We want to ensure we can fund additional equipment like Chromebooks and iPads, outdoor and PE equipment, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning and wellbeing resources.”

Gemma Hammacott, whose son attends the school, said: “We are blessed with a fabulous community of staff, friends and family who have always ensured the PTA is able to fund additional items and experiences to make the children’s time at Rhydri extra special.”

Rachel Ridge, a mother of two pupils at the school said, “For a £3 entry there’s a chance to win £500 or an Apple iPad, plus we have some fantastic prizes donated by parents and supporters of the school.

“It’s environmentally friendly as there are no real balloons involved, so no litter damaging our wildlife, and we are Covid-safe as it’s all online. 

“We hope everyone gets behind this fundraising event, whether they have a connection to our school or not. There are some great prizes to win, and it’s fun designing the balloons online and tracking their progress during the week-long race.”

The deadline to enter to competition is 11.30am on May 1.

To enter the competition, visit ecoracing.co/user/page/1611

Anyone who would like to donate a prize or is interested in supporting the school can contact ptarhydri@gmail.com