Julian's South African Adventure

[Eastwood Red]

Nice short link

Thu 09 Apr 2009
Julian Bennett is currently out in South Africa with South Nottingham College, Nottingham Rugby and the PFA in support of the Balls to Poverty Campaign.

After arriving in South Africa last Friday the team have spent time in both the Transkei region and Cape Town, where they are currently visiting the most deprived townships, putting on coaching sessions and delivering both footballs and rugby balls to the children of South Africa.

The first couple of days were spent in the Eastern Cape working with the Donald Woods foundation geared towards the development and sustainability of the rural communities. This culminated in the delivery of 200 footballs to the children in the local villages as well as the students grafting to build a new bridge and a fence to house vital crops for the villages.

Earlier in the week Julian observed a 34km relay-run undertaken by the group in order to replicate the journey made by Nelson Mandela in 1925, aged 7, to Miller Mission - an HIV and Aids clinic high in the South African hills, stopping on the way to visit his birth place.

'It was such an eye opener. The journey through the villages was something I have never seen before and the friendliness of the local people was something special. They all waved as we passed. I have to say, going to Mandela's birth place was fantastic - such a role model to so many South Africans in the years of the apartheid - it was very humbling'.

Over the next few days, Julian will be helping to conduct more coaching sessions and giving out over 3,000 footballs in the townships of Cape Town before returning to Nottingham to continue his rehabilitation early next week.

Continue to follow the progress of both Julian and the rest of the group on Heart FM website, with daily updates on the breakfast show, as well as the Nottingham Evening Post's blog on their site.

Remember to visit Julian's personal site at www.julianbenett.com for more progress reports.

 

[Le Juif Rouge]

Ja well no fine.
Jeeze wat a boytjie!!!
Go for it Jules my china. ;D