A TEACHER spoke to a group of Westfield Arts College youngsters before jetting off to Africa.

Karen Bidwell, deputy headteacher at the Weymouth school, visited Chogoria, Kenya, alongside other teachers from the Chesil Education Partnership.

Sarah Fennell and Amanda Evans from the Littlemoor Road school also joined the 10-day trip.

Mrs Bidwell took Elmer the Patchwork Elephant so the youngsters could see their class mascot in Africa.

Mrs Bidwell told students about the trip before she and others left for Kenya.

She said: “We’ve had links with the school for seven years.

“In the past four years we’ve had funding for teacher exchanges, which were started through Josie and Martyn Hastings.”

Children in Debbie Aspley’s Upwey class, who are all aged between eight and 10, asked Mrs Bidwell questions about the trip.

Among the questions were: ‘Are there any snakes or elephants’, ‘Is it a long way away’ and ‘Are there any monkeys?’ Mrs Bidwell was also asked about what kind of food she might eat in Kenya.

She told the group: “I was told that the nicest food I might find there is mangos because they are very ripe.

“The boys and girls there do different things in school and learn skills that will help them to get a job. Many of them are different ages and some of them don’t know how old they are.”

The youngsters were shown pictures of the Kenyan school and asked to come up with fundraising ideas.

Fundraisers for the project are currently trying to raise cash for the school to buy 20 beds – money for eight has already been raised.

Mrs Bidwell said staff take it in turns every year to go out to Kenya and help with the project.

She said: “The trip is for strengthening our links with the school and learning from one another and helping the children here to learn about different countries and cultures.

“There are members of staff from many other schools including Budmouth, Royal Manor and Southill going.”

In June, 15 teachers from Kenya will be visiting Weymouth and Portland as part of the teacher exchange programme.

There will be a showcase evening held in their honour.