Former Carey students Meg Lanning, Jack Viney helping people stay connected and healthy

Kew’s Carey Baptist Grammar was one of the first schools in Victoria to close due to coronavirus. Now their past students, including a cricket superstar and a gun AFL midfielder, have teamed up to help people stay fit and healthy through the crisis.

Jack Viney is a supporter of the Carey Community Challenge. Picture: Darrian Traynor

Former students from a Kew school — who just happen to be world-class cricketers, swimmers, AFL footballers and performing artists — are encouraging people to stay active and mentally connected during the coronavirus.

As one of the first schools in Victoria to shut down due to the coronavirus, after a senior teacher tested positive, Carey Baptist Grammar School has had a bit more time than most to adapt to the new environment.

Meg Lanning celebrates winning the Women’s T20 World Cup final in March. Picture: Michael Dodge

Meg Lanning was the first girl picked for Carey Grammar’s First XI in 2006, aged 14.

Part of that process saw a group of teachers and other staff create the Carey Community Challenge — a virtual race around Australia with the intention of getting people to feel connected despite the physical distancing.

Teams of four to six people — not just students — log any daily exercise to earn kilometres travelled.

There are bonus challenges within the activity, including by Australian Women’s Cricket captain Meg Lanning, who ran a backyard cricket session, Paralympian Ahmed Kelly, who demonstrated an upper body strength challenge and Australian swimming champion Jess Hansen, who ran a core strength challenge.

Creative and collaborative learning co-ordinator Sally Nelson said the challenge was created “to maintain interpersonal connections” and people’s health and wellbeing.

“It focuses on five dimensions of health and wellbeing, not just physical, but social, emotional spiritual and mental health in this time of isolation,” she said.

Mrs Nelson said more than 2000 people were taking part, with almost 400 teams.

The leaders have reached Cairns on the virtual map, while combined the teams have reached the moon: “now we need to come back again”.

MORE NEWS

FLARE-UP AT CAMBERWELL NURSING HOME

WHICH SUBURBS ARE CONNECTED TO 5G

NEW PAVILIONS FOR NORTH EAST LINK AFFECTED LEAGUES

Any targeted exercise such as running, jogging, cycling, exercise classes or even kicking the footy counts as being active and healthy and goes towards the team’s total.

With the first students set to return to school next week, it plans to continue the challenge for the foreseeable future.