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YPO Employee Supports £14k Outwood Fundraiser

News
The YPO Team
24 Jun 2026

A YPO employee has helped contribute to a fundraising weekend that generated more than £14,000 for Outwood Grange Academies Trust’s (OGAT) Out There project after completing the Leeds 10K and raising £198 in just three weeks.

Laura Wood, PR & Communications Officer at YPO, took on the Leeds 10K on Sunday 14 June as part of the wider fundraising effort supporting Out There, which creates positive opportunities and experiences for children and young people.

Her solo fundraising effort formed part of a strong collective result, with 14 Leeds 10K participants raising more than £1,500 and 62 walkers taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks over the same weekend.

Laura’s achievement is highly notable due to her strong dislike towards running, with a journey that began during COVID after completing the NHS Couch to 5K programme. This was further enhanced through her black belt kickboxing training. What began as a necessary fitness challenge became a personal goal that improved both her physical fitness and mental well-being.

By linking that goal to fundraising for Out There, she turned her race into a way to support children and young people in getting involved in their communities, building their confidence, and experiencing opportunities beyond the digital world.

Laura commented:

“Running used to be something I really disliked, so to complete the Leeds 10K, achieve a personal best and raise money for Out There all at the same time felt overwhelming in the best possible way.

“The more I thought about the project, the more I wanted to take on the challenge because it is about giving children opportunities to get out into the community and make a difference.

“Knowing I could support that while pushing myself personally made it all worthwhile.”

Louise Caldwell, Grant & Fundraising Development Officer at OGAT, commented:

“We are incredibly grateful to Laura and everyone who took on a challenge over the weekend to support Out There.

“Every pound raised helps us create more opportunities for children and young people to get involved in their communities, build confidence and experience something positive beyond the classroom.

“Laura’s story is a brilliant example of how one person’s determination can contribute to a much bigger impact.”

The fundraising total reflects the combined impact of individual and team efforts over one weekend, with participants championing the Out There project through endurance events.

Laura says crossing the finish line, hearing her friends and family cheering, and knowing she had helped the charity was the most rewarding moment of all.

For more information about YPO’s employee charity work and employee volunteering, please visit https://www.ypo.co.uk/about/social-value.

Author

The YPO Team

YPO supplies products and services to a wide range of customers including schools, local authorities, charities, emergency services, public sector and other businesses such as nurseries and care homes. YPO are 100% publicly owned, by 13 local authorities, which means the profits made are returned to public sector customers, delivering even better value for money.