Sixth Formers from Thornleigh Salesian College, Bolton, met in the Community House on Friday 8th June, 2007, for a social evening - part of their preparations for their visit to Moshi, Tanzania.

Part of the Thornleigh group with Fr Brian Jerstice (right)

The trip is being organised by Fr Martin Coyle SDB, Headteacher (left of photograph), Fr Andrew Waller, Head of Sixth Form (centre) and Jackie, a history teacher in the College (second from left). They will all accompany the group to Africa.

Five male and five female students from the College were chosen from the many who applied. On Sunday 22nd July they will fly to Tanzania and begin three weeks of work in Moshi, including helping to teach in the local primary school. They have already attended many training activities and each has had to raise over 1000 to help with the funds for the trip.

The social evening gave the students a chance to meet Fr Brian Jerstice SDB, a former pupil of Thornleigh College, who has been working at the Salesian House of Studies in Moshi since 1998, as novice master and teacher of (among other things) philosophy. Fr Brian, now spending a few weeks holiday in Bolton, has been helping with the arrangements in Moshi, including preparing somewhere for the students to live! He was able to give them the benefit of his local knowledge and also teach them some useful phrases in the Swahili language.

As one of the students said, We're not expecting to change the world, but it will be a wonderful experience for us.

We hope to give a full report of their travels after the group returns from Tanzania.