AMBITIOUS Royal Wootton Bassett Academy staff pedalled 100 miles to the Ethiopian Embassy in London to to fund an African children’s home.

The 16 teachers and support staff hopped on their bikes on September 12 in the hope of raising £2,500 in sponsorship towards the school’s £28,000 target to build a children’s home in Dembi Dolo, Ethiopia, through Stand By Me, the charity the Lime Kiln school has supported for the past three years.

The first group set off at 6.30am and the rest of the team at 8am, taking a challenging route through the Wiltshire, Berkshire and Surrey countryside before hitting the streets of London and arriving at the embassy in Knightsbridge.

There, they were greeted by a team from the Stand By Me England office and celebrated with some champagne and a quick rest before heading back to Royal Wootton Bassett.

Geography teacher and the school’s international co-ordinator, Emma Stevens, who planned the event after visiting Dembi Dolo in April, said: “It was an amazing day, everyone completed it between nine and 12 hours.

“Everyone was smiling all day and did so well. Considering we had people who had barely cycled three months ago, they did brilliantly. I’m so proud of all of them.

“Not only did the training pay off but the team exceeded their target and to date have raised over £2,600 – a fantastic start towards the children’s home that will change the world for children in Dembi Dolo.

“Every child at the Abdi Academy lives in poverty and while Stand By Me believe the best and most loving place for a child to grow up is with their family, some do not have any family to care for them.

“For children without a stable family Stand By Me hopes to build a children’s home.”

Keeping morale up along the way was a support team, and volunteers who greeted the groups at every checkpoint.

Emma said: “Our support team were fantastic and we couldn’t have done it without them.

“I’d also like to thank G4S and Go Outdoors who donated our food and water supplies.”

To sponsor the group visit their website at standby.me/projects/ rwba-to-london-staff -cycle-ride.