Bishop and Dog Set Out on 10-Marathon Challenge to Fund School in Zimbabwe

The Bishop of Kingston and his dog, Jem, embark on a 10-marathon challenge along the Pennine Way to raise funds for a school in Zimbabwe, helping children access safer and closer education.

The Bishop of Kingston, Rt Rev Martin Gainsborough, and his dog Jem are preparing to run ten marathons along the Pennine Way to raise funds for a new school in Zimbabwe.

The ambitious challenge will see the duo cover 267 miles, from Edale in the Peak District to Kirk Yetholm across the Scottish border—completing a marathon each day and camping overnight along the way.

Bishop Martin was inspired to take on the feat after visiting Matabeleland, Zimbabwe, in 2024. The Kingston Episcopal Area, which he leads within the Diocese of Southwark, has maintained a longstanding connection with the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland.

He explained that many children in the area, particularly girls, must walk up to 10km to reach the nearest school—an unsafe journey that often cuts short their education.

To help address this, Bishop Martin is raising money to support the construction of St Cecilia’s School in Lupane. Once completed, the school will feature classrooms, dormitories, a dining hall, and a rectory.

Ntokozo, a 14-year-old pupil, shared: “Before we had hope, but now we have hope realised.”

Despite the daunting nature of the challenge, Bishop Martin said he and Jem are enthusiastic about it. “Running the Pennine Way is a huge challenge, but Jem and I are ready for it and raring to go,” he said.

They plan to do most of their running during the cooler hours of the morning. The Bishop will carry food and water for Jem in a backpack. As a border collie, Jem is “ideally suited to mountain terrain” and has accompanied Bishop Martin on all his training sessions.

The bishop joked: “To be honest, when I am flagging, for Jem it is a walk in the park!”