Northampton fundraiser soon to complete 750 kilometres in 12 weeks to tackle ‘staggering’ child poverty levels

A determined Northampton man is soon to complete his target of running 750 kilometres in 12 weeks, to tackle “staggering” child poverty levels.

Damon Fox, the business development manager at the Northampton Town Football Club Community Trust, began working towards the target in March and is due to finish his ‘Covering the Distance’ fundraiser this Sunday (June 4).

What has worked out as running more than 60 kilometres a week will soon come to an end and Damon’s fundraising total currently sits at more than £3,000 for the deserving cause.

Damon says that with “around 7,500 children living in poverty in the town”, all money will go on to support vulnerable young people during the 2023/24 academic year.

“Having spent 15 years working in education, I’ve seen the number of vulnerable children increase considerably – and more so since the pandemic,” said Damon.

“Our key area is to improve children’s attendance, attainment and behaviour. There has been a bigger need for this in the county’s schools over the last few years as we have gone from working with nine to more than 70 partner schools.”

Damon hopes to see his final fundraising total match-funded by Barclays, which will be put towards providing mentors to children living in poverty, educational takeover days in schools in areas of high deprivation, and improving mental wellbeing.

It may also be used to subsidise places on the NTFC Community Trust’s holiday football school programmes and transport, for those who would not be able to access opportunities like this otherwise.

To get the kilometres in, Damon has been running at any opportunity – at park runs, work meetings, club games, and he has had members of the community join him too.

Over the past four weeks, he has run a total of 85 kilometres with 6,676 school pupils and created 21 ‘on the road’ videos with local business people who have joined him to talk about their work-life balance.

Damon described people’s generosity as “extraordinary”, with one school having raised more than £2,000 and one individual, aged just five from Kings Heath Primary, having raised £560.

The final 25 kilometres will be completed on Sunday (June 4) and Damon will run with five different individuals until he reaches the finish line at Sixfields Stadium.

The young boy who raised £560 is running the final 100 metres with Damon when he arrives at the stadium.

When asked just how much of a difference the funds will make, Damon said: “It will be wide and vast, supporting groups of vulnerable children in their school setting – but also outside of school in supporting their talents for physical activity and performing arts by providing kit, equipment or travel in some cases.”

The business development manager has had support from a number of organisations, namely Decathlon whose employees have run alongside Damon to will him on to the finish line.

To donate, you can visit Damon’s online fundraising page here.