STUDENTS put on their running shoes this week as they got stuck in at the Duchy College Run.

Each year, Duchy college hosts and supports an inter schools cross country for Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 from all over Cornwall.

On May, 17, students from across the county gathered at Duchy College’s Stoke Climsland campus to embark on a cross country challenge.

The cross country is approximately one mile in distance with Year 3 and 4 completing one lap and Year 5 and 6 completing two laps.

The children have to cross rivers boggy ground and work hard up steep hills. This has been an annual event planned and conducted by our second year military and protective services students (MaPS) for more than ten years and happens every month over a five month period from November to May.

The students who organise this event are all 16 to 18 and have to ensure they cover all aspects of planning from medical cover, marshalling the visitors and the route, running the race with the children and issuing the certificates for the winners and supporting all participants.

The students use this and similar events to accredit their volunteering unit plus it helps them develop their personal and employability skills ranging from, interpersonal skills, communication, planning, organisation, time management, sense of community, leadership, and problem solving to name but a few. 

In total each age group has around 110 competitors and while not all schools attend for each event there are many that are consistent and attend every month without fail. Friday’s event was the last race of this academic year and saw some fantastic performances from each year group. This race is the quickest of all five races and covers 0.9 miles. 

Year 3 and 4 Boys: 1st Harry Petherig; 2nd Jacob Philip; 3rd Conner Fanhcom

Year 3 and 4 Girls: 1st Bodieve Lawson; 2nd Vallie Mills; 3rd Grace Cole

Year 5 and 6 Boys: 1st Fankie Smith; 2nd Benjamin Glendinning; 3rd Thomas Gribble

Year 5 and 6 Girls: 1st Ester Uglow; 2nd Ellie Rose Creeper; 3rd Isla Rail