From the Wilson Run to Land’s End: OS Hannah Francis Completes this Extraordinary Challenge
On the first day of her final year at Sedbergh, overwhelmed by unfinished work, Hannah Francis (C 19-24) searched for ways to improve her concentration. The answer? Go for a run.
Starting in the School’s lowest running group, Hannah quickly discovered a passion for the sport. Her confidence grew with every mile, taking her from beginner to competitive runner, and eventually to her first-ever medal. Fittingly, that medal came at the Wilson Run in 2024.
Fast forward a few years, and Hannah has completed a challenge of an entirely different scale. Alongside her mother, Katie Francis, an Old Castertonian, Hannah has successfully run from John O’Groats to Land’s End, covering the length of Britain in just 26 days.
The remarkable mother-daughter team took on the challenge to raise funds for three charities close to their hearts:
- Farmstrong Scotland, which supports farmers’ mental health and wellbeing;
- the Scotland College of Chiropractic;
- and Tariro, a charity supporting orphaned children in Zimbabwe.
The journey demanded determination, resilience and countless miles on the road. After just the first two days, Hannah and Katie had already covered an impressive 109km (68 miles), setting the tone for what would become an extraordinary achievement.
For Hannah, completing the challenge is a celebration of how far she has come since that first tentative run at Sedbergh. What started as an attempt to improve concentration evolved into a love of running, a growing confidence in her abilities and, ultimately, the determination to take on one of the UK’s most iconic endurance challenges.
Those wishing to support Hannah and Katie’s fundraising efforts can still donate via their JustGiving pages:
- Farmstrong Scotland: https://www.justgiving.com/page/hannah-francis-5
- Scotland College of Chiropractic: https://www.justgiving.com/page/hannah-francis-6
- Tariro: https://www.justgiving.com/page/hannah-francis-7
We are incredibly proud of Hannah and Katie for this outstanding achievement and congratulate them on completing their inspiring journey from John O’Groats to Land’s End!