As part of the Challenge 51 campaign in memory of her father and former Director of the Bedford School Association, Mr Richard Garrett - inspirational student Tess Garrett (Year 10) took it upon herself to organise a team of family and friends to walk the Sue Ryder St John’s 10km Starlight Hike on Friday 20th September at Shuttleworth.

We spoke to Tess about the event and Challenge 51, she said: “Last Friday 38 friends took part in the Starlight Hike including 15 of my friends from BGS, all in honour of my dad. The aim of the 10km walk was to raise funds for Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger, which is where my dad spent his final few weeks.

“The walk went really well and there was great turnout. This walk is one of the many challenges my family and friends are doing in memory of my dad. We are trying to raise £51,000 pounds for three charities that my dad felt very strongly about. In order to raise the £51,000 pounds, friends and family are taking part in 51 challenges."

Challenge 51 grew from Mr Garrett’s wish for Bedford and the wider community to fundraise for the organisations that had supported him. His family and friends came up with the idea of raising £51,000 in 51 different ways. The total ultimately being split between his chosen charities, namely The Bobby Moore Fund, The Research and Education Fund at Bedford Hospital and the Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice at Moggerhanger.

You can donate to Tess’s Just Giving page here.