Nursery staff and children in buggies take part in Move for Momentum, a fundraising walk

Each year, 1,900 children in the UK receive a cancer diagnosis. By taking part in our movement challenge, schools and nurseries can help ensure Momentum is there to provide practical and emotional support to families during some of their toughest times.

Last year, the fantastic children and staff at Colets Nursery in Thames Ditton, Surrey, took on a special Move for Momentum challenge called Laps for the Planet. Children walked a designated route around the nursery grounds, completing the number of laps that matched their age – two-year-olds walked two laps, three-year-olds completed three, and four-year-olds tackled four. Meanwhile, babies and younger toddlers joined in the fun from their buggies. As they made their way around the course, the children also collected litter with their friends, helping to care for the environment while supporting a great cause.

Talking about taking part, Charlie, Senior Childcare Administrator at Colets said: “It was easy to organise our Move for Momentum event, we kept it simple and that worked for us. We set up a fundraising page online and on the day itself, some of the children’s parents came to watch and they gave cash donations too. With support from friends and families of everyone involved, we raised just over £500. The beauty of this initiative is you can go as big or small as you want. The children loved meeting Momentum’s mascot, Mo the owl, and doing something different from their normal day to day routine. Initiatives like this are important for early years settings because it helps children and parents to understand how helping others can make a difference.”

Charlie continued: “To another nursery or school thinking about taking part in Move for Momentum, I would say, do it! It is a superb initiative and the children loved it. The key to success is to keep it fun and relatable – especially with younger children. Colets Nursery can’t wait to take part again this September – we already have a few ideas up our sleeve!”

Whether it is a penalty shoot-out against the maths teacher at break time, circuits to upbeat music in the school hall or a classic relay race around the playground during a PE lesson – every kind of move counts. By taking part in Move for Momentum, you will be standing with the hundreds of families we support, facing childhood cancer.

Our fundraising kit includes fun and inclusive activity ideas, a guide on fundraising, and ready-to-use explainers for teachers and parents. Find out more here

You can also contact our dedicated Schools Fundraiser, Maria, by emailing: maria@momentumcharity.org

Find out more about Colets nursery here