YEAR Nine pupils at Sawston Village College went the extra mile to raise money for poor Ghanaian families on Monday. The children used exercise bikes, running machines and cross trainers as they covered 500 kilometres – the distance from Accra, Ghana s ca

YEAR Nine pupils at Sawston Village College went the extra mile to raise money for poor Ghanaian families on Monday.

The children used exercise bikes, running machines and cross trainers as they covered 500 kilometres - the distance from Accra, Ghana's capital, to the Tamale area which will benefit from the sponsorship money.

Head of Year Nine Gerry Holloway said: "The students have been studying Ghana as part of their Developing World module in geography.

"We chose to support Camfed, a Cambridge-based charity which works in the poorer rural areas of Ghana to help provide basic literacy, business and health skills, after a representative from the charity spoke at a school assembly.

"Our pupils here often take their education for granted but, as they have learned, many children in Ghana, particularly girls, do not have access to a full education.

"All Year Nine pupils took part on a rota basis in the conditioning room throughout the day to build up mileage on the joggers, steppers, cross trainers, rowing machines and bikes and everyone covered a distance of two kilometres."

The money will be counted up and given to Camfed at a special assembly in the New Year and the pupils will receive regular updates telling them how their money is being spent in Ghana.