Members of OAKS Junior Secondary School have been corresponding with a group of Year 10 and Year 11 pupils from Rhyl High School, since October 2013, via ‘Rhyl Football in the Community’, an initiative formulated by Manager, Tracey Jones and delivered by her dedicated team.

The ‘Strikers’ as they are known, are keen to establish a relationship with our Sierra Leoneans, communicating by letter, three times a year – exchanging information about school, lifestyle and interests.  They are finding they have so much in common, despite living in very different worlds.  A little difficult though, trying to explain XBox and the many gadgets a 1st World teenager takes for granted.

Laurel was invited to visit Rhyl High School on Friday 4th April.  The whole school watched a short video based on the last visit to OAKS during February, highlighting many school and community features, including Sports Day.

IMGP1829After the DVD, Jamie accepted the latest batch of letters on behalf of his ‘Striker’ friends, absent from assembly that day, due to attending various vocational college courses.

The Deputy Head Teacher, Mr Roberts, indicated that Year 7 would also like to join the postal service and would be preparing letters to send in May or possibly October.

The ‘Strikers’ are now busy creating their photos, drawings and pen pal ‘gossips’ ready to be delivered next month.  The OAKS pupils will be eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this ongoing and developing relationship – they find it equally intriguing exchanging letters across thousands of miles.