STAFF and students from St Mary's Menston spoke about the acclaimed Bambisanani Partnership in South Africa at a national Global Learning Conference at Leeds Trinity University in Leeds.

Mr David Geldart, Assistant Headteacher at St. Mary’s and founder of the project, spoke about the partnership’s work in using sport in one of South Africa’s poorest communities to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership.

Five St. Mary’s students who were volunteers and leadership mentors in South Africa last year also spoke at the conference.

Karl Verspyck, Megan Haskins, Eleanor Thompson, Myles Hanlon and Caroline Turnbull outlined the impact of their work in South Africa with the focus of two schools from very different parts of the world ‘having worked together and learned together’ for over nine years, creating an equitable and sustainable partnership.

Conference organiser, Diane Maguire, said: "St. Mary’s made a most significant contribution to the conference. The students were so articulate and passionate about their remarkable work in South Africa; truly inspirational.”