Pupils from a Northwood school travelled to Malawi to help African charities and take part in their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award last month.

This summer, 16 pupils from St Helen’s School, in Eastbury Road, embarked on a trip of a lifetime.

Pupils were led by David Froggatt, geography teacher and Duke of Edinburgh assistant co-ordinator at the school.

During their three-week expedition pupils took on a number of challenges to support and develop local communities.  

At Nankhufi School in the Upper Shire Valley, one team helped create thousands of bricks which will be used to build new classrooms.

While some delivered much-needed simple medical supplies to the Ministry of Hope Crisis Nursery near Lilongwe and others helped plaster the walls and floor of the Dzalanyama school project. 

Both teams entertained the local children with games such as, the hokey-cokey, football matches and reading. 

In addition to this, the teams undertook their Gold Duke of  Edinburgh expedition in Malawi, a four-day expedition crossing the Mulanje plateau, carrying all they need with them without any outside help.