Student Leighton bowled over by trip-of-a-lifetime
A Sunderland student is striking out in a new direction.
Leighton Stanger, who is studying sports coaching at Leeds Trinity University, will travel to Rwanda tomorrow as part of a volunteering project with the charity Cricket Without Boundaries.
He is part of a group of seven students, all studying Primary or Secondary Physical Education and Sports Coaching, who will be delivering cricket coaching sessions in schools and the community; training teachers; and delivering cricket festival days until Saturday, June 9.
The group will work in three different provinces coaching cricket whilst integrating their sports coaching with health messages about HIV and AIDS.
Leighton, a Primary PE and Sports Coaching student, said: “My main reason for wanting to go to Rwanda is that it’s like no other opportunity that I’ve experienced before.
“It involves going to a country I’ve never visited and coaching children in a different environment than I would in the UK.”
The students have raised more than £700 each to take part in the project, which is part of their professional work placement, and will gain academic credits for their work.
Antonia Miles, a Graduate Trainee at Leeds Trinity University, will join the students as a mentor: “The opportunity came up for a staff member to accompany the students on this trip so I had to take the chance and apply. I thought this would be an amazing experience to make a difference within Rwanda and to support the students.”