News 2006 - January

Church's goal to help Africa

From the Oxford Mail archive, first published Monday 2nd Jan 2006.

Church leaders have handed over hundreds of items of donated sports equipment to schools in a war-ravaged African country.

St Andrew's Church, in Linton Road, Oxford, set up two schools and six churches in Sierra Leone almost two years ago to promote sport and develop community ties.

This year hundreds of football shirts, footballs, boots, trainers, shoes, cricket equipment and pens and exercise books were donated to the church by local schools and church members.

Five volunteers took the haul to hand over to the schoolchildren and African church leaders working for Sport Life in November.

Rev Andrew Wingfield Digby said: "We set out to try and help people but came back enriched by the experience.

"We are in it for the long run and will continue to empower them as well as we can to help them do something about the situation. We've got to help them to help themselves. I've travelled extensively and all over Africa but I've never been anywhere as impoverished as Sierra Leone."

The African state still needs aid following years of civil war.

More than 100 pairs of donated football boots and shoes and strips from Cumnor Minors were flown to Africa.

Parishioners have also been collecting sports and school equipment throughout the year and students from schools including Magdalen School in Oxford and Abingdon School have also helped out.

The church first built a primary school in the Kono region almost two years ago and now helps run other schools and churches.

Church leaders and parishioners hope to travel back to Sierra Leone with more sports aid next year.

The relief effort is run by Sports Life, Christian Community Churches and the St Andrews Schools scheme.

Anyone wishing to donate to the cause is invited to visit St Andrews Church.