Pupils on mission to help the homeless in Mexico

A group of students and staff from an Ashford school are heading to Mexico this weekend to help the homeless.

Nine pupils and three members of staff at The John Wallis Church of England Academy leave on Sunday to fly to the Central American country to build two houses for homeless families.

They are taking part in the Build Hope Mexico project and this is the second time that John Wallis staff and students have gone out to Mexico to build a house for a homeless family.

During the 10-day trip, students from the academy will work together with teams of students from other academies and schools in England, to build two houses for homeless families in Tijuana, Mexico.

The scheme is run by the charity Amor. On completion, keys to the house are handed over by the team to the family who will live in the house.

As well as bringing long term hope to the Mexican family, the trip offers the students and staff a chance for personal reflection and development, and lifetime memories.

The academy staff and students have been fundraising to pay for the trip for the last eight months, completing a sponsored walk, arranging quizzes, cake sales and a Nepalese community evening.

Ian Rich, Academy Lay Chaplain, said: “We are very grateful to parents and members of the school and local community for their support as well as those larger organisations that have made donations to help us.

“This trip provides our students with the opportunity live out the Gospel message of reaching out in love to those in need; true love, which shows itself in action.”

The team from The John Wallis Academy in Ashford who are going to Mexico