
School auction raises £1,680
AN auction by Coquet High School pupils raised £1,680 to boost the Niall
Howard Fund and the North Northumberland Day Hospice.
The Cheap as Chips charity auction was hosted by Sixth Form Millennium
Volunteers at the school.
Auctioneer John Hayes, from Louis Johnson, ensured that lots sold well.
The sixth formers involved were Tom Johnson, Danny Quicke, Dane Wallace,
Daniel Watkins, Stephanie Beaty and Taryn Yates.
The money raised will be split between the Niall Howard Fund, Cancer
Research UK and the Alnwick based day hospice.
Leukaemia Research funds were also boosted by £297.72 raised on a non-uniform
day at the school.
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Mariska's ambition to run put on hold
ATHLETICS chiefs have barred a Hadston ten-year-old from
running in their races because she is too young.
Mariska Simpson, of Woodside Crescent, has been stopped
from running in cross country races organised by the English Schools'
Athletics Association (ESAA).
The Morpeth Harrier, who regularly runs four miles, is two years too young.
Dad Alan said: "She is really good at running and quite determined. She
wants to go to the Olympics. I spoke to her teacher about it and she says
its a shame, as she has to wait until she is 12-13-years."
He added that Morpeth Harriers had said there was no physical reason why
Mariska should not compete and that runners younger than her ran in the
Great North Junior Run.
The Druridge Bay Middle School pupil, whose brother Vincent, 11, also runs,
has taken part in a three-mile ESAA race at Alnwick but was stopped from
doing another at Hexham.
Mr Simpson suggests creating a race for school years five and six to give
youngsters something to aim for with a course and distance suitable to
their age.
The ESAA deny they are being draconian in their ruling, saying Mariska
should continue getting training and advice from Morpeth Harriers.
It also states that under ESAA rules, the first year of competitive
running in schools is for year seven, or 12-years-old.
Peter Robinson, ESAA committee member, said: "At ten-year-old she would be
too young for our competitions.
"In primary schools we don't encourage competition and exposing youngsters
to extensive competitions but, there may be other competitions within the
area."
05 February 2004
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