Students’ Extreme Sport Fundraiser For Third World Children

A group of health and social care students at East Riding College are taking part in the extreme sport “zorbing” to raise money for children they sponsor in Third World countries.

The daring Beverley-based learners will jump into giant inflatable balls before rolling at speed down grassy slopes at the ‘Roll-Mania’ centre near Leeds.

They hope to raise at least £100 each – a total of £1,300 – for their sponsored children Nasma from Bangladesh and Sourou-Nere from Togo, to buy goats for their village and supplies for their schools.

In the months leading up to the zorbing activity, the students have been taking part in a number of fundraising activities – such as holding cake stalls, raffles and car washes – to raise money to pay for it. They are also being sponsored by friends and family.

Student spokesman Gemma Moynes said: “Both children and their families live in poverty and education is a luxury for them.

“Child trafficking is a major problem in Togo and Bangladesh is very prone to natural disasters.  Both Sourou-Nere and Nasma have a poor quality of life and the health and social care students are hoping to raise enough money in order to support the children and help them to gain a better education so that they can go on to fulfil their future career dreams.”

Tutor Kat Lee said: “The students wanted to come up with something different to raise money for their sponsored children and I think they’ve been really brave to choose an extreme sport like zorbing.

“We can make such a difference to our sponsored children by raising our target figure and the students are working really hard to attract sponsorship from friends, family and local businesses.”

Anyone who would like to sponsor the students should email kathleen.lee@eastridingcollege.ac.uk