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Pupils fundraise in memory of teacher's daughter

Family handout Rebecca and Harry Foster with their baby daughter, Olivia. Rebecca has long dark hair and is looking directly at the camera and smiling. She is standing next to Harry. He has blonde short hair and is wearing a light blue polo shirt. He is holding Olivia. She has blonde short hair and is wearing a pink and white stripe top with a pointed party hat.Family handout
Harry and Rebecca Foster said they were "stuck in a deep, dark well, with no support" after the death of their daughter

Primary school children have been cycling thousands of kilometres in their classroom to raise money in memory of their teacher's daughter.

The year 6 students from St John's Primary School in Wellington, Somerset, are using an exercise bike to cover a distance of 1,382m (2,225km) to fundraise for the bereavement charity, 2Wish.

The charity has been supporting the pupils' teacher, Harry Foster, and his partner Rebecca, after the sudden death of their 15-month-old daughter, Olivia, in October 2023.

"At the time, we felt as though we were stuck in a deep, dark well, with no support until [2Wish] opened the lid, let in some light and offered us a hand," Mr Foster said.

Family handout Olivia stood in her front room holding a soft toy. She is looking directly into the camera. Behind her is a sofa and a children's book shelf filled with books.Family handout
Mr Foster said his daughter's sudden death was "unimaginable"

Olivia died of acute myocarditis - a condition that causes inflammation of the heart and affects its ability to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body.

Mr Foster said her sudden death was "unimaginable".

"24 hours before Olivia died I was down the park with her, 24 hours later she passed away," he said.

"You don't expect something like that to happen to you."

A boy wearing his red school jumper, sat on an exercise bike in a class room. He is smiling and waving.
The pupils have been cycling "around the UK" - in their classroom

The charity organised counselling sessions for Mr and Mrs Foster, created a keepsake memory box for them and introduced them to other families going through bereavement.

"They have provided us with the professional support and the kind and caring nurture we were so desperately searching for," Mr Foster added.

The pupils have been cycling the equivalent distance from the school to London, on to Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and back to Wellington and have raised £900 so far.

"We've been cycling around the UK, raising money for our teacher's charity," said year 6 pupil Evie.

"It feels good to support such a good charity because they have supported Mr Foster a lot," Oliver added.

A group picture of students from St John's Primary School in Wellington, Somerset. There is an elephant mascot standing amongst the group of children, who are all in red uniforms. Naomi from 2Wish is next to the elephant mascot. She has long brunette hair and is wearing a navy blue hoodie with a star logo on for 2Wish. Harry Foster is stood in the group. He has fair hair and is wearing a shirt and tie. Most of them are looking at the camera.
The children have raised more than £900 for 2Wish

Mr Foster said that the school and his colleagues have been "absolutely fantastic" and acted like a "supportive family" to him.

"It's tough for me to get up to come in to a school where there are children around when I've lost my child, but having these children's passion for fundraising and passion to support me and keep going gets me through the days," he added.

On Thursday, the team from 2Wish organised a surprise visit to the school to meet the children and Mr Foster.

Naomi, a regional fundraiser from 2Wish, said: "From something so awful and tragic, the amount of good that they have done is just incredible."

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