Shoes donated by the pupils of Parkfield School have found welcome new homes at a Ghanaian school for deaf children and two orphanages.
Parkfield maths teacher Kinza Barrett flew out to the Republic of Ghana for October half term, taking with her 50 pairs of pre-worn shoes and trainers donated by pupils and staff.
Mrs Barrett, Parkfield School’s new Curriculum Leader for Maths, is the chairwoman of the Raising Hope Foundation, a charity she helped set up nine years ago when she was at university.
The Foundation works with orphaned and vulnerable children in Santrokofi, a traditional village situated near Lake Volta in the far east of Ghana.
Mrs Barrett explained: “The shoes were given out at two children’s homes and also to scholarship students at a school for the deaf.
“For many of the children of Santrokofi, shoes are something they can only dream of – and you can certainly see by the smiles on their faces how happy they were!
“I guarantee that each pair of those shoes will be cherished, cleaned or polished to perfection and worn with immense pride.”
Parkfield is Bournemouth’s only Free School and moved into new, purpose built premises next to Bournemouth Airport at the beginning of September.
Ian Golding, Parkfield’s interim headteacher said: “I was one of those glad to donate unwanted shoes and it has been wonderful for us all to see just how much joy they have brought to children who have so little.
“Everyone at Parkfield has been deeply inspired by Mrs Barrett’s work with the Raising Hope Foundation and we hope the school will make long term connections with the charity in 2018.”
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Media information: Debbie Granville at Deep South Media on 07884 657782 email: Debbie.granville@deepsouthmedia.co.uk
Picture captions:
[shoes 5 and 7 ] Ghanaian schoolchildren were thrilled with the shoes donated by Bournemouth’s Parkfield School. [shoes 1-4] Parkfield maths teacher Kinza Barrett flew out to the Republic of Ghana for October half term, taking with her 50 pairs of pre-worn school shoes donated by pupils and staff.
