Ultra-marathon man Jason goes the extra mile to help Peterborough's Heltwate School - cheered on by son Anakin

A Peterborough father went the extra mile to help a special school - completing a 30 mile run around the city’s athletic track.

Jason Lovett took on an ultra-marathon challenge to raise vital funds for Heltwate School – where his son, Anakin attends.

Anakin (6), who is non-verbal autistic, joined his dad for part of the run, giving Jason extra motivation to finish the huge challenge.

Jason (51) was still recovering from the run this week, but Lisa Sachse, his partner and Anakin’s mum, spoke of her pride at what he had achieved, after completing the gruelling 120 laps of the track.

She said: “Every year we do something to raise money for charity – he has done seven half marathons in seven days in the past – and every year it gets bigger and bigger.

"This idea came because Anakin started at Heltwate in September, in the new building. In the old building of the school, they have ‘spinners,’ which really help Anakin and other children calm down and concentrate – but they don’t have them in the new building.

"They are really important for the children there, so the money raised will make a real difference.”

Children from Heltwate also turned up to give Jason support, with many choosing to complete a lap with him.

Lisa said: “The children were fantastic, and took time to run with him, racing along the track – it really kept him going.”

So far Jason has raised more than £1,400 for the school – with colleagues at KFC donating hundreds for the cause.

A spokesperson for the school said Jason’s efforts had been inspiring.They said: “The money Jason has raised will be invaluable, What Jason has done for our school and children is truly inspiring. The impact will be felt by the children for Years to come at the Jubilee site, providing them with a joyful and inclusive space to play and grow.

“The money will be spent on sensory equipment for the playground at our new Jubilee site. At school we focus a lot on supporting our learners' sensory regulation needs. By doing this, it helps bring calm to the children, and makes them less heightened and anxious which in turn allows them to access different activities, focus for longer, and become more confident learners. These types of activities also help to calm down after severe upset, such as when something has 'gone wrong' that they cannot explain due to their young age and language difficulties. We need things that stimulate their vestibular sense- their sense of movement. We have discovered many children prefer to engage with this by spinning. They do not feel dizzy, and this type of fast, circular motion really helps them to 'centre' and feel grounded.'

“It was heartwarming to see the children's excitement as they completed a lap with Jason, knowing that they were part of something meaningful and impactful for so many children.”

Lisa and Jason are now planning for next year, with Lisa saying: “Jason has had a bit of a rest, but we know next year will have to be even bigger than this – so who knows what that will be.”

You can still donate money to the campaign by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/f/around-and-around-we-go