Sheldon students' African mission

2:21pm Thursday 17th July 2008

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Dedicated sixth form students in Chippenham have raised more than £60,000 for a four-week volunteer project in Tanzania.

The 21 students from Sheldon School, accompanied by three teachers, left for Africa on Tuesday to help with a number of community projects, including the building of a new school.

All of the intrepid volunteers have been fundraising for more than a year to raise the £3,000 each they needed to participate.

A-Level psychology teacher Josie Long will be on hand to help the students.

She said: "The school has been helping out with community projects in Africa for five years but this is the first in Tanzania.

"The pupils will be heading out to help with a number of community projects including building a new school, some teaching and general maintenance. They will also be climbing Mount Meru on a four day trek and have the chance to go on safari.

"The trip is such a great experience for the students to see what life is like in a third world country but also to see just how much they can help.

"We have been told that none of the children we will be visiting have any shoes and that they are impossible to buy there so we are all taking an extra pair.

"I commend all of the students for all of their fundraising efforts and giving up their summer holiday to help those less fortunate."

Some teachers at Sheldon School have been sponsoring school children in Africa since the partnership work began and will continue to fund them through university. One of the students taking part this year, Chris Carter, 17, from Derry Hill, cannot wait to get stuck in.

He said: "I have never done anything like this before but it is always something I have wanted to try.

"I will be running the Chippenham half marathon on September 14 to raise even more money.

"I think the whole experience is going to be amazing and the end result will be so worth all of the effort we have all gone to."

The students have been fundraising since last year and have held a cake sale at the school every week since then to raise money for the trip.

Anyone interested in sponsoring the students for this year, or those heading out in 2009, should call Martin Seelly at Sheldon School on (01249) 766020.