CIRENCESTER students have returned from a two week volunteering trip to Ghana.

18 Year 10 pupils from Cirencester Deer Park School went on the trip with their partners at Rhema Abutua and Dedzidi schools.

Both Ghanaian schools currently have plans to extend their school facilities.

As a result, some pupils acted as community builders and were tasked with moulding concrete blocks ready to be made into new classrooms.

Gemma Mackew, year leader at Deer Park said: "In the intense heat, mixing the cement by hand and carrying water, sand and blocks was not an easy task but our pupils persevered.

"Both groups of builders were commended for their hard work and creation of well over 1000 blocks between the two schools over the course of the trip.”

During the second week of the project, pupils worked on a pen pal project with local children which saw them writing replies to letters sent from Siddington and Powells Primary Schools.

Sarah, a Year 10 pupil said: “We have increased our confidence and learnt new things, many out of comfort zone."

Another pupil commented: “It made me feel very humble, it has really opened my eyes to the outside world."

This latest trip is the second visit by pupils from the school to Ghana, building on the relationship first established by Chiquita Henson, Headteacher and CEO of the Conrinium Education Trust, in 2017.

Planning is already underway for a return to the partner schools in Ghana in 2019.

Pupils are already fundraising for next year's trip, and as part of this, will be contributing to an event which will bring together Voluntary Organisations for a conference at Cirencester Deer Park School on Thursday 20 September 2018.

The evening is open to all and will start from 6pm.