Tower2Tower

Last November, Calderstones Community Comprehensive School in South Liverpool sadly lost one of its most popular and revered teachers, Mr Phil Gibbons.

This mobilised the whole school community to channel its efforts on supporting charity organisations with a mental health focus.

Assistant headteacher and PE teacher, Allan Preston, decided to organise a Tower2Tower bicycle challenge from Liverpool’s Radio City Tower to Paris’s Eiffel Tower, and challenged fellow members of staff, governors and ex-pupils to join him.
Sixteen drawn from the school community have accepted the challenge to undertake 500 gruelling miles in just five days in July 2014.

They will be raising money for Liverpool-based mental health charity, Imagine Independence.
Calderstones teacher, Allan Preston said: “This is a personal challenge for me. I’m proud to be doing this with our school’s community: teachers, students, governors, parents and friends of Calderstones”.

Iain Brodie Browne, chief executive of Imagine Independence said: “We are delighted to receive this support from Calderstones School.

“Imagine has a positive approach to mental health and works to promote opportunities for people to live a full and independent life.

“This bike ride is an excellent way to assist us in our work”.

School governor, Robin Ireland, is chief executive of Heart of Mersey, a Liverpool-based health charity, and will be taking part in the ride.

Robin said: “Mental health issues are not always easy to talk about but people often need the support of their family and community but have not found it possible to ask for it. I am delighted to support the school in this challenge”.

The cyclists are looking for support from local companies and the public. Donations can be made to: www.justgiving.com/T2T2014