Jonathan Gullis,

Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent North

Iwas in sixth form and on a rugby and hockey coach trip to South Africa. We arrived at a township near Cape Town where we were scheduled to play. I remember vividly how we had to litter pick the pitch before warming up with our opponents, with items like needles laid upon the field of play.

Once we warmed up, we felt confident. We had been playing together as a team for more than five years. They had thrown a team together last minute. We thought there was no way we could lose.

How wrong we were. You didn’t get tackled by one or two, it would be five or six, quickly getting the ball out of our hands. Their lack of obvious game plan meant psychologically they got into our heads, meaning we spent most of the game second guessing what to do and arguing amongst ourselves. We were well and truly defeated.

But it is after the game that sticks with me most. Everyone in the community had contributed some items of food so a big meal could be created to thank us. To see people who had so little give so much really struck home the power of human kindness.

I remember sitting and listening to the stories of life in the township and realising just how lucky I was, but also how the adversity I faced in life was simply incomparable; but with kindness, resilience hard work and determination, anything was and is possible.