As part of its ongoing commitment to education, community and creativity, the West Ham United Foundation recently partnered with St Edward’s Catholic Primary School in Green Street for a very special initiative ahead of last Sunday's 2025 London Marathon.
Widely known for its close connection to former Hammers and England great Bobby Moore, the school’s year six students from Oak class were part of a special collaboration to design motivational t-shirts and football style pennants for the Foundation’s marathon runners. The aim was simple, yet powerful: to create inspiring gifts for the three runners representing the Foundation while fostering creativity, teamwork and pride among the pupils.
Each runner was presented with their uniquely designed t-shirt, pennant and a good luck card as they collected their running numbers ahead of the race. Designs featured an array of London attractions, as well as inspirational messages from a group of talented and creative students.
Speaking about the initiative, Natasha Casely, Deputy Headteacher at St Edward’s Catholic Primary School, said: “Year six pupils had a truly exceptional experience of designing t-shirts for three London Marathon runners. I believe such projects are fundamental in providing enrichment activities that enhance the National Curriculum.
“At St Edward’s, we very much value the work that the West Ham Foundation does with schools such as ourselves, and recognise the important role they have in supporting schools. We were delighted to hear that the team has already raised over £60,000, which will help develop further projects across east London and beyond.”
Speaking about the activity, year six student Zuzanna said: "The activity was really fun and one of the best things I have ever done. I was so excited when I was told I'd be designing a t-shirt for one of the West Ham Foundation runners."
Isaiah, another year six student, added: "It was such a good experience, I'm really passionate about art, so I really enjoyed it".
Just a stone’s throw away from West Ham’s famous Boleyn Ground, St Edward’s is a pivotal part of the West Ham United Foundation’s Premier League Primary Stars programme, that gives young people the opportunity to engage in a range of extracurricular activities and make a lasting impact on their community.
The young artists’ work played an important role in lifting the spirits of the marathon team, made up of West Ham United Board Member Jiri Svarc, Non-Profit Founder and lifelong supporter Matthew Smith, and Executive Performance Chef Hans Louis, as they prepared to tackle the gruelling 26.2 miles through London.
The runners’ efforts were part of a wider campaign to raise vital funds for the redevelopment of the Beckton Community Hub, a transformative £4.7-million project that will triple the footprint of the current facility. Once complete, the new Hub will offer a safe, inclusive and accessible space for thousands across east London and beyond, delivering grassroots football, education programmes, mental health services and vital community support.
West Ham United Foundation Fundraising Manager, Hannah Waldron, said: “It was brilliant to see the St Edward’s pupils’ designs, adding a personal touch to the marathon journey, making each runner feel the strong support of the local community they are working so hard to serve.
“It’s collaborations like these that highlight the true spirit of the Foundation’s commitment to its east London roots - inspiring pride, opportunity and connection across generations.”
As the Foundation celebrates the success of its 2025 London Marathon team, who smashed their £50,000 fundraising target by raising over £60,000 (and counting), partnerships with local schools like St Edward’s underline a simple truth: when community and creativity come together, amazing things happen.
To find out more about how you can get involved with the Foundation’s fundraising initiatives, contact: [email protected]
To support the Foundation's London Marathon team, and learn more about the Beckton Hub, please click HERE.