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It’s great to hear about all the amazing ways students and staff are doing their bit to help out in the community.

For Redcar and Cleveland College’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator, Philippa Hambley, that has meant a relay with a difference.

A member of Loftus and Whitby AC, Philippa and the team have helped to buy two iPads for the local hospital by organising a virtual fun run.

She said: “We usually run once a week as a group but with lockdown we haven’t been able to do that.”

It was a small group of pals who came up with the idea of a virtual relay, running individually and capturing the moment on camera as they passed the baton digitally to the next club member.

“We thought we could each pay £5 and perhaps buy a little treat for staff of the Tocketts Ward at East Cleveland Hospital,” said Philippa.

But after opening up the idea to other club members on Facebook they were overwhelmed by the response.

“In the end we had about 50 people taking part, with the relay lasting for three days,” she said.

Keen to help raise a smile, each member then tried to come up with fun and quirky ways to pass on the baton.

“It got to the point where you were waiting for the videos to be uploaded on to social media to see what people had done,” said Philippa. “It was good fun and a nice distraction from everything that is going on at the moment.”

Expecting to raise just enough money to buy some biscuits or sweet treats for the hospital ward, the club clocked up more than £1000, enough to buy two iPads, which were delivered last week.

Having been a member of the running club for two years, Philippa said: “It’s a lovely friendly club and that is clear by everybody that wanted to get involved.

“This started just as a little bit of fun for us, we never expected to raise the amount of money we did, but it was lovely to bring people [virtually] together.”

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