NEWENT Community School sixth-formers Tom Lyon and Luke Kavallares are setting out on the biggest adventure of their lives, travelling to Ghana to coach

underprivileged children in the finer arts of football.

Tom and Luke, pupils at Newent Community School, will be working at a school in the capital, Accra.

Both play for Newent Town's youth team. In preparation for their four week trip they have completed an FA?Junior Football?Organiser course and run weekly coaching sessions for a local village team for 12 year-olds.

Knowing that the youngsters they will be working with struggle to afford football kit, Tom and Luke have been collecting equipment to take with them. They are planning to travel with large holdalls stuffed full of secondhand boots, shirts, socks, shorts and shinpads. The trip has been arranged through 'Projects Abroad,' one of the leading organisers for overseas volunteer work placements. However the youngsters have to pay for the entire trip themselves, raising money from weekend jobs and car boot sales. The pair are also receiving some financial support from their parents and Newent Town AFC.

Tom described the trip as "the most exciting of our lives" and an opportunity to do something really worthwhile.