DURSLEY's Rednock School has a new Indian link.
Teacher and co-ordinator of Rednock's India Friendship Club, Jenny Parsons, made a flying visit to India for February half term in order to find a new link school.
Rednock has been partnered with St Andrew's School, near Hyderabad, since 1997. Altogether 29 Rednock students, three Rednock staff and two Rednock parents have visited St Andrew's since the link began.
On previous visits Rednock students have attended lessons with their host partners and stayed with host families. The once in a lifetime experience has been valued tremendously by both hosts and visitors.
Now St Andrew's is experiencing some management changes and is unable to host a third Rednock visit.
"I had to find another school to host our students as I already have half a dozen interested in going to India on the next trip planned for December 2006," said Mrs Parsons.
"Fortunately the mission was accomplished and Rednock will now be partnered with St Paul's School, at Shamirpet near Hyderabad. This will be a different experience for our students as St Paul's is a boarding school.
"Rednock students will share 'dorms' with their Indian hosts and go to the host families for the weekend. They will share in the busy academic and sporting life of an Indian boarding school where they will have the chance to make new friends and learn something about India and Indian education."
The director of St Paul's Suresh Benjamin is looking forward to the visit and he and his staff are already planning an exciting programme for the Dursley children.
While in India, Mrs Parsons also visited St Andrew's to see old friends. She was able to visit the Bob Cotton School, founded in memory of Rednock's former caretaker who was killed in the Paddington rail disaster. Rednock students raised much needed funds for repairs, running costs and equipment for the Bob Cotton Junior School, which serves a poor village community.
Dorothy Ebenezer, who was instrumental in setting up the Bob Cotton School was delighted to receive over 64,000 rupees raised by Rednock students. Many of the children who attend the Bob Cotton School come from families affected by Aids. The school has been deliberately sited in an area of real need.
Rednock science technician Joy Raymond has been a long-term supporter of the India Friendship Club. Money raised from the sale of her handcrafted cards bought a bedding role for an orphaned girl and paid the examination fees of a Year 10 student facing his final school exams.
Mrs Parsons added: "Now that we have a concrete proposition for our trip departing December 2006, more students currently in years 7 and 8 at Rednock have enlisted to take part.
"We will continue our ambitious programme of fundraising and we would like to take this opportunity to thank individuals, groups and businesses who have supported us in the past in this worthwhile venture in promoting international understanding."
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