Claret and blue mission to Ghana helps build classrooms

VOLUNTEER FORCE: Burnley FC in the Comminity members with Ghanian villagers. Below, the local footballers in their new kit.

The club’s official charity took 11 volunteers who spent five days in a number of Ghanaian villages, working with the Dedzidi Community School and assisting teachers in leading English, maths and PE lessons.

The main purpose of the visit, however, was to assist with the building of new permanent classrooms to replace existing buildings which have asbestos roofs and banana leaf walls.

“The funds we raised for the trip enabled us to hire two skilled builders and buy materials to make the concrete used to lay the floor,” said Burnley FC in the Community’s Matt Hargreaves.

“Over the course of four days, the team moved tons of rubble and sand and managed to complete almost all the flooring. This means that the next group of volunteers, who are from from Rangers FC and travel out in December, will be able to start work on the classroom walls.

“The trip was physically and mentally demanding and highly emotional at times. We saw extreme poverty on a large scale, street children and preventable disease and illness as a common occurrence.

“On the final night in Ghana our team made a commitment that we will continue to work with the Dedzidi Community School and the wider community, providing support and resources from the UK but also in planning a further and hopefully larger volunteering trip next year.”

The 11-strong team included Matt Hargreaves, Jane Priest, William Priest, Stuart Grimshaw, Justine Lorriman, Martin Carlton, Hannah Wilkinson, Emma Broatch, Amanda Catlow, Lisa Merrifield and Abbey Merrifield, who were supported by local sponsors Neville Gee, Totally Wicked, Community Network Solutions, Future Directions CIC, Harp Ceramics, Carlton Bathrooms and Tiling, NP Integrated Technology, JL Leisure, Joanne’s Computer and Blackburn Community Sports.

To get involved in the Africa 2015 trip please register your interest by contacting Matt Hargreaves on m.hargreaves@burnleyfc.com or call him on 01282 704716.