Pupils from an Erskine high school have raised more than £20,000 for a mental health charity as they look to complete a 12-month intense physical and mental training programme.
Park Mains High School students amassed the impressive total so far by taking part in The Polar Academy’s programme and doing a host of fundraisers.
Now they are looking to complete their final Arctic expedition to East Greenland this year. Last year, in May, 15 students from Park Mains High were chosen to participate in The Polar Academy’s 2024/25 programme.
The challenge is fully funded by the teenage mental health charity, with pupils working hard to raise funds which will go to help support young people.
Since August, the dedicated team from the school has engaged in various fundraising activities, including walking 21 miles at the Edinburgh Kiltwalk.
The teenagers have now set a new target of £27,000 – www.justgiving.com/page/jaynie-campbell-1717592067307 – which has saw over 250 supporters so far.
In a post outlining their fundraiser, it said: “Please support our young team at Park Mains High School taking part in The Polar Academy’s 12-month intense physical and mental training programme, culminating in an arctic sledge-hauling expedition to East Greenland.
“These young people are at a crucial stage of their life in terms of making choices.
“Working closely with the school, their families and the community, we want to stop the downward spiral of negativity many kids are now on, help positively empower young people now and into the future, teach them to take control of their own lives and their future and help them find the voice they never knew they had.”
The Polar Academy, which has been operating for 11 years, aims to create a lasting positive change for young people and families that turn to them.
The charity builds role models who inspire others through qualities like respect, dignity, self-belief, connections, and kindness.
With less than 10 weeks to go until their big challenge, the training has included 20km tyre hauls and weekly high-intensity interval training sessions.
Don’t miss the latestRenfrewshire headlines –sign up to our free daily newsletter here