Girls and teachers, it's time to dust off those walking boots or waterproof trainers, ready for our annual whole school sponsored walk in aid of BBC Children in Need on Friday 17 November!

      In this year's Countryfile Ramble, we will return to the waterways of our great city.  Once again, Nottingham Express Transit (NET) will provide free tram travel for over 100 pupils and staff, so that we can prove it's possible to go for a good walk locally without the need for a car or crossing lots of roads.

       For Key Stage 2 girls, the first leg of our 2023 walk will start at the Gregory Street tram stop, progressing along the Beeston Canal to a lunch stop at the Canalside Heritage Centre, at Beeston Lock.  The return leg will be along the River Trent, towards Meadows Embankment and a tram ride back to school.  The whole walk is on flat footpaths, with just one road crossing at the very end.  Depending on year group, girls will walk anything between half a mile and just under six miles - and our youngest girls will travel to starting points along the Beeston Canal via school minibus.

      Sponsorship details have been emailed to families - please give generously to support this great British charity, and to encourage the girls in their challenge.  Thank you.

      The Sheriff’s Challenge is a series of activities which encourages children to run, walk, swim and cycle.  Each year, a different challenge is set with a ‘joint goal’ for schools to cumulatively reach plus individual pupil targets.  The overall aims of this project are:

• Promoting better health and wellbeing

• Children being outdoors and active

• Improved concentration and attainment

      This year, we have been challenged to cumulatively Walk or Run around the World – that’s 25,000 miles!  Pupils are set the individual challenge to walk or run 100 miles – that’s the equivalent of running four full marathons each over the academic year!

      But worry not, we have already identified plenty of opportunities to get everyone involved in this project - not least by offering every girl from Year 3 upwards the chance to include her mileage from this year's BBC Countryfile Ramble which will take place on 17 November.  That's an approximate six-mile head start!