Norfolk school linked with Colombia holding its own World Cup match

Pupils at Colby school get ready for their own England v Colombia match tomorrow. Pictures: Christine Mead (Image: Archant)

In 2016, two pupils from Colby primary school, Oren and Brae Everett, who were aged 10 and 12 at the time, spent a term living and going to school in Colombia.

The school has kept in touch ever since and has raised more than £3000 for the Children Change Colombia charity.

It also regularly holds Colombia-themed events.

Tomorrow, on the day of the England v Colombia World Cup last 16 knock-out game, the school will be running fun Colombian-themed activities like Colombian food tasting, games, dancing and their own England v Colombia football match.

Headteacher Christine Mead said: 'We are looking forward to a day of celebrating our friendship with Colombia but will be hoping for an England victory tomorrow night. Happy to be quoted on that ha ha.'

While the pupils were in the country in 2016, their classmates back home made the most of the opportunity to learn about Colombia and also ran fundraising events to support the charity where the pupil's mother, who is a teaching assistant at the school, was volunteering.

Since then the school held a Colombia Day and a Colombia After-School Club, which has now become a popular annual event.

The connection between Colombia and Colby has remained strong and teachers regularly include Colombian topics in the curriculum.

Last year, the Everett family and Mrs Mead took part in a 30-day No Sugar Challenge to raise more money.

The Everett family will return to Colombia at the end of this month to see old friends and visit the Amazon.

Among other things, the project runs clubs that provide children with a safe place to go at times when they otherwise could have been exposed to the risk of violence and crime.

Most schools in Colombia only provide half-day schooling, but parents are still at work in the afternoons so children have to wander the streets alone. In some neighbourhoods, children are faced daily with the harsh realities of drugs, crime and gangs.