PUPILS and staff are lacing up their running shoes to support a teenager battling cancer.

Knox Academy pupil Archie Hamilton was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma – a rare type of bone cancer – in October last year.

Now, fellow pupils, staff and a parent are getting ready to head to the start line of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival later this month in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Lana Borwick, a teacher at the secondary school, is one of 10 from the team taking on the half marathon, while a further 10 are running the 10k and parent Kelly McInnes is going for the marathon, which will be officially started by Archie.

Ms Borwick said: “It is something we have done in the past.

“Pre-Covid, we did the half marathon for East Lothian Special Needs Playscheme.

“That was linked in with the YPI (Youth Philanthropy Initiative) and the curriculum that S5 were doing.

“They had chosen a local charity and they had to organise an event to raise £500.

“They raised well over £1,000 but we have not done anything like it since Covid.

“We have got a pupil in the school at the moment who is undergoing treatment for cancer and we have tried to have various fundraisers already. The S6 approached us and said we did it a few years ago and wanted to be involved in some capacity.

“Although it is not a local charity, it is a charity supporting our young person.”

In the 10k, pupils Gemma Scott, Leo Harrison, Ellen Davidson, Olivia Dale, Isla Kilkenny, Amy Reid and Carys McKnight will be joined by Robert Flood (curriculum leader – social subjects), Jenny Wright (principal teacher – support for learning) and Rebecca Halliwell (modern studies teacher).

Doing more than double that distance in the half marathon are Ollie Craig, Oscar Pirie, Cain Coles, Callum McBain, Finlay Robb, Connor Wightman, Sam Hutchison, Jacob Hippee and Alicia Coyle (maths teacher), as well as Ms Borwick.

The acting curriculum teacher – health and wellbeing told the Courier they were looking to raise £3,000 for the good cause, which provides cancer care and support to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13 to 24.

Already, more than £2,000 has been raised, with more than £500 to be added to the fundraising pot following a football tournament.

Further events are planned in the school to ensure that the target is reached.

Ms Borwick said that some were further on in their training programme than others but she was confident they would all be cheered on to reach the finish line, with the longer events finishing in Musselburgh and the 10k taking place around Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.

She said: “I think it is quite nice when you know where you are going.

“On the support side of things, we had staff, pupils and parents come down to the previous one.

“This is for a pupil we are all aware of at Knox and I know there are other fundraising things going on in the community.”

The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is on May 27 and 28.

Donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/knoxacademy23