Two ex students from Wolverhampton Grammar School fly to Uganda today for 6 months with a £4000, hockey sticks, trainers and books.

Beth Rudling and Jayne Hodgkiss both aged 19 from Wolverhampton are traveling to Lords Meade Vocational College in Uganda for a 6 month gap year project. They are taking £4000 with them to help rebuild the main school hall which blew down over the Winter months. The funds left over will be put towards a new generator to light the girl’s dormitories. Beth and Jayne are also taking with them hockey sticks and trainers and are hoping to introduce the sport of hockey into the school. They will both be helping out in the classroom by teaching drama and English and organising a school choir.

The £4000 was raised over the last year by Wolverhampton Grammar School student fundraising efforts such as: crazy hair day, non-uniform days, leg waxing and discos. Beth and Jayne raised a substantial amount of money themselves to go to Uganda – this also included a very generous donation by the British and Foreign School Society.

Lords Meade Vocational College has students from all across Uganda and Kenya. Many of these are from poverty stricken backgrounds, and are given full or partial bursaries by Tofta Educational Trust. The trust is a registered charity in the UK, USA and Uganda. In a unique link up with the school, two students each year spend 6 months teaching children at the school during their gap years.

Head Dr Bernard Trafford commented, “This is a wonderful opportunity for Beth and Jayne, a real life changing experience. Both girls were model students during their years here at WGS. They walk away with a first class education into an environment where they have the opportunity to give back and take their learning experiences to a whole new level. We look forward to hearing from them and their exploits in Uganda.”

Pictured from left to right: Jayne Hodgkiss, Beth Rudling, Claudia Gilmour, Gabi Ashton