Every July since 2009, a group of Lower Sixth pupils and teachers from Culford have travelled to Malawi for three weeks to carry out voluntary work in ‘the warm heart of Africa’. In the summer of 2016 they implemented projects to improve the lives of some of the poorest people in Africa, visiting schools, orphanages and even a prison. They refurbished 2 classrooms at Nankhufi School, serviced and repaired bore holes and built a new energy efficient stove for the village to help combat the deforestation in Africa. As part of the Good Friday project they served phala, a vitamin and nutrient rich soya porridge to hundreds of school children and villagers, aiming to encourage children to stay in school by offering them a hot meal. They also implemented Project My Girl which provides PSHCE education for girls in Malawi and distributes sanitary kits to young girls and women in the surrounding area. We also do games and songs with the young children out there.

In the summer of 2017 I will be taking part in the next stage of this project and continuing the legacy as a result I need to raise at least £2,300 to enable me to go.

Inspired by our Olympians and Paralympians in 2016 I am determined to get myself back to full fitness after being out of the pool for 10 months due to an injury. As a result I am aiming to swim the equivalent distance from John O’Groats to Land’s End before I go to Malawi – this equates to a massive 54,250 lengths of a 25m pool. I will keep a weekly record of the lengths swum and will update this site. Any sponsorship no matter how large or small would be greatly appreciated.