UK reception class battled fierce winds to raise money to double-vaccinate people in India

Meet the inspiring reception class that battled fierce winds last Friday to raise enough money to double-vaccinate over 805 people in India.

The 'Panda' reception class, aged four and five, were galvanised into action when one student was saddened to learn about the Coronavirus crisis in India whilst watching NewsRound earlier this month.

The class of 30 and their teacher put their thinking caps on after Zain El-Mahmoud, five, said he wanted to help get oxygen to people in India.

Class teacher Saffron George, 27, asked the class how they could raise money to send oxygen to India and the children chose a sponsored walk because they had seen other kids doing them on NewsRound.

The intrepid youngsters raised an incredible £2,400 and held their three mile walk going nine times round their school including traipsing through a muddy field last Friday [May 21] and refused to give up despite the inclement weather.

The money is enough to send 46 oxygen concentrators to India, or to double-vaccinate over 805 people in India against Covid-19 through the UNICEF India Covid Crisis Fund where it is being donated.

Young Zain, from Valley Invicta Primary School at Laybourne Chase, in Kent, said: "I felt sad because they don't have enough oxygen for people in India, and without oxygen you die.