More than £5,000 raised for special schools by Luton dads ahead of marathon
Two dads from Luton are gearing up for the London Marathon this weekend and are appealing for more donations for special schools in the town.
Mohammed Salim and Rayman Khan have been family friends for decades. They decided to join their fundraising efforts by attempting to raise £10,000 for Luton’s special needs schools: Lady Zia Wernher School, Woodlands Secondary School, Windmill Hill School and Richmond Hill Primary School.
The pair have fundraised before – focusing on a charity that gives life-saving support to vulnerable communities worldwide, something that is close to both of their hearts.
Salim, 43, said: “The one thing that really brings me and Rayman together is Crisis Aid because we both volunteer for them. We've done multiple fundraisers for Crisis Aid over the years.”
Both men have personal connections to their latest cause, as Salim has two nieces with additional needs and Rayman’s daughter has autism. Earlier this year, she raised £10,000 for children living in Gaza with special needs.
Through his own experience as a father, Rayman hopes to highlight the work done by staff at the special schools in the town and smash their fundraising target.
Rayman, 51, said: “These are special schools, and there are some special people behind them that work there, and I know what the challenges these teachers face.
“If I never had my daughter, I wouldn't know what autism was, what learning difficulties are. It's all about learning and being patient. Don't get me wrong, we're all human, we're all emotional, we all break down, but you've got to keep going.”
The London Marathon on Sunday (April 27) will be Rayman’s third 26.2-mile challenge, while Salim is having a go for the first time.
The money raised will be split between the schools, with the donations for Richmond Hill Primary School going towards new soft play equipment.
Rayman added: “We've just scratched the surface since there's so much more work to be done. Especially in the Asian community, you do come across many families that have children with special needs, but they just don't understand the challenges that these schools face.”