STUDENTS from three Forest schools welcomed visitors from Kenya for a two-week student exchange project.

The students, who left yesterday (Tuesday), attended lessons at the schools and stayed with families from Newent, Dene Magna in Mitcheldean and Lakers in Coleford. The project is called Tujuane, which is Swahili for ‘getting to know each other’, and is one of the longest running exchange projects in Gloucestershire having been founded in 2002.

Project spokesperson Iain Baird said: “Forest students have spent the past 18 months raising funds for the exchange and they will be travelling out to Kenya at the end of June to visit their partner schools around the city of Kisumu, on the shores of Lake Victoria.

David Omollo, one of the Kenyan teachers, said: “This has been a wonderful experience and we have been especially pleased that the English weather has been as warm as the welcome that we have received in the Forest of Dean.”

The visitors took part in the ‘Forest Factor’ talent show at the Forest Theatre, which raised further funds and showcased some of the Forest’s talented youngsters. They visited Gloucester, where they were most impressed by the 950-year-old building and found out about the Forest’s past at Dean Heritage Centre.

Ian added: “Forest MP, Mark Harper, spoke to the Kenyan students when they visited Lakers school and talked about the differences between the constitutions in the UK and in Kenya. He also answered the many questions that he received on Brexit and its consequences.

“Over 100 students have now benefitted from the highly successful Tujuane project, which has been supported by grants from the British Council, as well as Coleford Town Council and the Newent Rotary Club. However, the bulk of the funds needed to run this project have been raised through the efforts of the students, their parents and some very dedicated teachers from the Forest schools.”