The head of a worldwide logistics business has renewed his company’s support for a partnership between a Menston school and a school in one of the poorest parts of South Africa.

Andrew Smithurst, CEO of Cardinal Maritime has pledged support to the Bambisanani Partnership, a collaboration between St. Mary’s Catholic High School and Mnyakanya School situated in one of the poorest areas of rural South Africa.

Visiting St. Mary’s with a cheque for £2,000, Andrew Smithurst met students who recently returned from South Africa, where they had mentored Mnyakanya students in leadership skills and initiated a ground breaking scheme to teach local Primary School children to read using student Literacy Leaders.

Within the last year St. Mary’s has opened a library at Mnyakanya and provided other much needed educational recourses. St. Mary’s also funds forty Aids orphans at Mnyakanya.

Bambisanani founder and Assistant Headteacher at St. Mary’s, David Geldart, praised the Cardinal Maritime support.

He said: “Andrew and his team have been with us every step of the way with this project.

“As well as providing valuable funding, Cardinal Maritime have kindly shipped considerable amounts of equipment out to South Africa for us at no charge.

“Andrew has also supported ‘Bambisanani Enterprises’, a student led business which raises funds for the project, by providing business ideas and advice.”