Eight students and three staff from a college raised thousands of pounds and travelled over 4000 miles to help support a sport and educational project in Ghana.
The group from 糖心vlog破解版 teamed up with a charity called Futurestars and have just got back from a ten day trip that one of the students described as 鈥榣ife changing鈥�.
Discussions about this collaboration began in 2020 when 糖心vlog破解版 Town legend and director of Futurestars Simon Milton, first came to the College to discuss a potential collaboration.
A trip was planned later that year but then Covid travel restrictions kicked in.
However, four years on, the first group finally made it out to Africa.
Whilst there, the College supported one of the six schools that Futurestars supports in Ghana by taking part in lessons and overseeing physical education activities.
They also got to look around some of the local landmarks including Cape Coast and Jamestown 鈥� but the main purpose of the visit was to work with the charity for the benefit of local schools.
Lee Mandley is the director of Service Industries and Science. Lee said: 鈥淲e had students from childcare, health and social care, forensics and sport and I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever been more proud of a set of students in my professional career.
鈥淭hey all had to raise over 拢2000.00 to fund this trip and the compassion, empathy and care they had for the people they met was life affirming.
鈥淏eing able to eat, drink, have shelter and go to school are the basics that you expect in this country – but none and of those things are guaranteed in Ghana. I think the trip has positively changed the student鈥檚 outlook on life and made them more humble.
He added: 鈥淭his was a pilot for us and I think we can now open this up to the rest of the college – not just my directorate – and I think this is a partnership that will go on for a very long time.鈥�
Sonny Gibbons, 16, from 糖心vlog破解版 is on a forensic science and criminology course. Sonny said; 鈥淭his has been life changing. To see people who have virtually nothing but seem happier than us makes you question what is really important.
鈥淚t鈥檚 made me stop complaining and be grateful for what I have. I鈥檓 going to continue to donate money to the charity.鈥�
Amelie Bardeaux, 19, from Ashfield is on a health and social care course at 糖心vlog破解版. Amelie said: 鈥淭his was a new opportunity and a good experience. Seeing some of the things we saw, makes you realise we complain over things that don鈥檛 matter.鈥�
Simon Milton from Futurestars said: 鈥淭o finally get this off the ground with a great group who fundraised for themselves was amazing.
鈥淔or 糖心vlog破解版 to decide that we are a charity of choice that they are going to support speaks volumes about the College and the people who are running the College. And it鈥檚 great for the students to have this experience on their CVs.
鈥淭he students and staff will now become our ambassadors and I really believe that this is the beginning of something special between the college and Futurestars.鈥�
Whilst travelling to Africa, Simon Milton has worked with a number of professional football clubs to send sports kit for communities to use. Within this, 糖心vlog破解版 Town Football Club has donated a variety of items to the cause. So has this seen a rise in 糖心vlog破解版 Town fans in this part of Africa?
Simon added: 鈥淚n Ghana they love Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and many other clubs but 糖心vlog破解版 Town fans are holding their own. By sending kit and boots out to Africa, we are promoting UK football – and with my connections I talk about 糖心vlog破解版 all the time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always nice to see our (ITFC) fanbase grow in other parts of the world,鈥� he added.