Football fans share a universal language that cuts across many cultures and speaks to people’s shared passions and common goals. Sometimes it is possible for the love of this game of two halves to bring communities and distant parts of the world that bit closer together.
Toby Quinn from John O’Gaunt School, who plays for Ramsbury Football Club and is currently volunteering for ATE Ghana as part of his Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, had an idea which has done just that.
With Ramsbury FC backing Toby’s idea, spare Ramsbury FC football kits were sent out to Lawra district; a rural part of the Upper West Region of Ghana. The kits were donated to pupils at Karbo Junior High School. This is a school which is supported by ATE Ghana, who provide free school meals, uniforms and books to support children in Lawra to be able to access education for a brighter future.
This is a wonderful way of our community reaching out to the community of Lawra!
Big thanks go out to Toby, Jason and all the footballers at Ramsbury FC from ATE Ghana and the pupils of Karbo Junior School.
Many thanks also to Penny Post reader, Denise Herrington, who was inspired by this idea and donated footballs to accompany the kits!
The children and Beatrice, the Headteacher at Karbo Junior School were thrilled to receive the football kits and footballs, taken out to Lawra by Sarah Gardner, Chief Executive of ATE Ghana.
This is a great little scheme which will bring endless hours of joy (and a no doubt a few scraped knees along the way) to many excited and energetic children in Lawra.
It is meaningful in so many ways. It underlies the inequalities in our world and how each and every one of us can make a difference. It’s a beautiful, much-appreciated gesture and a great link between two communities through the love of ‘the beautiful game’.
For more information about ATE Ghana, ways to get involved and support the work in Lawra, please go to: www.ateghana.org Or follow on facebook and twitter.
Author: Penny Post
Penny Post is a community notice board serving West Berkshire, Wantage, Swindon, Marlborough and surrounding areas so there
