Emerson Park School pupils visit Barbados for sports tour

Twenty-eight pupils and four staff from Emerson Park School in Wych Elm Road, Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch, set off for a sports tour of Barbados during the school's half-term week in October.

The pupils were all members of the netball and cricket teams in Years 10 and 11 and took part in competitions in both cricket and netball against pupils from schools in the south west coast of Barbados.

The girls played a mixture of club, school and representative teams that culminated in a match against the Barbados Under 16 team. The boys played school and club sides and returned unbeaten from the tour.

Many local businesses provided funding to enable the school to purchase sports equipment. The businesses were: Barr Contracts (tour bags), BT (netball kit), Academics (cricket helmets), Axcis (tour jackets), Club Copying (baseball caps), A&J Automotive (cricket whites), Harold Wood Coaches (airport transfers) and individual parents of participating children (cricket pads and drinks bottles).

Ray Consterdine, Director of Sport at Emerson Park School, said: "We expected extremely tough opposition and that's exactly what we got. The tour as a whole was a great success and we are very grateful to local businesses who sponsored us.

"Since becoming a Specialist Sports College in 2004 we have aimed to extend the opportunities available to our students. This is just one such opportunity that was a terrific experience for all concerned."

The group spent 11 days in Barbados and in addition to the sporting fixtures also enjoyed an island safari by jeep and a catamaran cruise which was funded by different fundraising events organised by staff and pupils at the school.

Councillor Geoff Starns, Cabinet Member for Children Services, said: "This trip was a fantastic opportunity for the pupils of the school to play against teams of the same ability in their chosen sports. It also demonstrates the benefits that come from being a Specialist Sports College.

"With Specialist Sports College status, this type of trip provides pupils at Emerson Park School the opportunity to play against other teams in different environments."