Teacher hits the GEAR trail to help air ambulance

A West Norfolk teacher will be heading to the startline for this year’s GEAR run in King’s Lynn after witnessing the East Anglian Air Ambulance in action.

​And she will be cheered-on by pupils as they will also be taking part in the mini-GEAR on Sunday (4).

Michelle Ryan, who has been a teacher at Clenchwarton for 24 years, signed-up for the 10k to raise money for the charity after seeing its work first hand when a parent was taken ill near to the school.

The air ambulance’s response saved a life, and Mrs Ryan is raising money for the organisation which relies on donations.

“A medical emergency happened near the school at pick-up time in 2023. Some Clenchwarton school staff responded by providing immediate and life-saving CPR and the EAAA arrived very quickly, took over and transported the patient to a specialist hospital where they made their recovery,” she said.

The children in her class are working towards the EAAA Challenge badge and recently held a cake sale where they decorated tables, put up bunting and sold cakes to raise £134.20 towards the charity.

Although it is the third time she has run the 10k, it has been a few years and Mrs Ryan (47) has been training hard for the weekend’s event.

“I have tried to juggle work, family and training - it’s been difficult to fit it all in, but my main aim has been to follow the Couch to 10k training plan. Over the Easter break I have been fortunate enough to run every other day and I feel great!” she said.

Currently teaching Year 4 children at the school, part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, Mrs Ryan has already raised more than £300 from sponsorship - but is aiming for more and she has her own fundraising page on the JustGiving website. Search her name to find the page and donate.

Each mission for the air ambulance costs an average of around £4,250 and the EAAA relies entirely on donations to keep providing the 365-day, 24-hour service for Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.