My Story

Continuing Our Father's Legacy

Our father, John Kemmis, was a dedicated social worker for 50 years. Even after "retiring," he led a national charity that provided advocacy services to children in institutions—giving them a trusted, independent adult to stand up for their rights.

In 2021, we decided to embark on a series of challenges to honour his incredible work as both a social worker and a children's rights campaigner.

Since then, we’ve pushed ourselves to the limit—battling through the hottest-ever Marathon des Sables in 2021 and quite literally leaving parts of ourselves behind in the Dragon’s Back Race 2023. But we’re not stopping there! This year, on the 25th-31st August 2025 we’re taking on our biggest challenge yet: the Fire and Ice Ultra Marathon in aid of School of Hard Knocks Charity.

What’s Fire and Ice?

• 250 km across Iceland’s wild, unforgiving terrain
• Over 100 km from the nearest paved road
• One of the world's most remote endurance races
• Completely self-sufficient for the 6-day event.

When times are tough, it's the support that keeps us going!

In 2023, we took on the Dragon’s Back Race to support School of Hard Knocks (SOHK)—a life-changing charity that uses rugby, mentoring, and personal development to help young people overcome adversity and thrive.

Thanks to your we raised an incredible £20,000—directly funding 20 young people to take part in SOHK’s programme for a whole year. That’s 20 lives changed, 20 futures rewritten.

When we hit the toughest moments—exhausted, battered, and barely holding on—it was knowing the impact of your support that gave us the strength to push through. It is the support from SOHK’s coaches and mentors who help young people find their way when they feel like giving up.

🎬 Who SOHK works with and how

Why SOHK?

Across the UK, too many young people face exclusion, mental health struggles, and instability. Without the right support, they fall into cycles of violence, unemployment, and low self-worth.

The reality in UK schools today:
📌 1 in 6 students struggle with anxiety, ADHD, or depression, impacting their education.
📌 300,000 students were suspended from state secondary schools in just one term (Q4 2023).
📌 3,500 students were permanently excluded in that same period.

With school funding in crisis, vital support is disappearing and so many young people are losing learning. SOHK is stepping up—providing structure, consistency, and hope.

How SOHK Changes Lives

SOHK delivers 1,000+ tailored sessions in 29 partner schools annually, reaching 1,100 young people across the UK. Since 2020, its impact has grown a whopping 485%, with 92% of schools and parents recommending the programme!

Their approach is grounded in psychology, with emphasis on social and emotional learning. SOHK's delivery comprises:

🏉 Sport – Rugby instils resilience, discipline, and teamwork.
🤝 Mentoring – 1:1 and group support helps young people navigate life’s challenges 
👥 The Power of Team – A strong community nurtures belonging and self-belief.

Our 2025 Goal: £30,000

All this is just the beginning. SOHK has ambitious plans to expand from 4 regions with 29 schools to 6 regions and more than double that number of schools by 2030. Yet, reaching more young people requires significant funding. That's where we need your valued support.

Our 2025 goal? Raise £30,000 to help kick-start SOHK's expansion -ensuring more young people get the opportunity, support, structure, and mentorship they need to thrive.

Your Support = Real Change

Every donation, big or small, helps us move closer to a future where every young person has the support, confidence, and opportunities they deserve.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us!