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Crown Woods welcomes global visitors

 
19 April 2006

Crown Woods students welcomed two athletic youngsters from Kenya to their school recently as part of a series of events to promote sporting excellence in the build up to the 2012 Games.

Charity Wandia and Sikinan Maiyani, both 14 years old, live in rural Kenya and excelled in their hometown's mini marathon. The two girls were rewarded with a four-day trip to London to take part in the 2006 Flora London mini marathon and visited Crown Woods secondary school in Eltham to get a taster of British education.

The trip was organised by the British High Commission’s initiative, Next Generation, which is a programme aimed at bringing together British and Kenyan sporting excellence to help develop Kenya’s young athletes and sports people.

Charlotte Edmonds, a Year 10 pupil, and her family were kind enough to offer the girls a home for the duration of their stay.

The girls attended Year 10 lessons at Crown Woods on Friday, giving them a chance to mix with British students and teachers and giving each side an opportunity to learn a little more about each other’s cultures.

The girls' stay also included the opportunity to attend a training session at the Cambridge Harriers Athletics Club as well as special entry to all the VIP events that took place over the marathon weekend.

Gurmel Singh-Kandola, Director of Culture and Community Services, said: "We were extremely happy to welcome the girls to our borough and hope they really enjoyed their stay. This visit is just one of a series of events organised to help build momentum and create opportunities in the lead up to the games. The opportunities that the 2012 Games will bring to Greenwich are enormous and their after effects will be felt in a positive manner for years to come."

For more information on the benefits and activities taking place in the lead-up to the 2012 Olympic Games, visit www.greenwich.gov.uk

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