In July our team of 20, made up from both this school and Holy Trinity School, Kidderminster, journeyed to South America on a month long expedition to Ecuador, organised through World Challenge, which we had been planning for over a year! The trip cost us each near £4000, a lot of money, which we worked hard at fundraising for, but every last little penny was definitely well spent.

We spent the first few days becoming acclimatised to the country, its ways, culture, rules and its altitude! In the first week we visited many cities from the capital city Quito, the colourful and famous Otavalo, and the traditional Ibarra.

Our second week was spent with a self-sufficient community in the hills surrounding the town, Ibarra. Whilst living with a family in the community we gave a helping hand in securing a vital road used to access their main source of income, an ecotourism project giving outsiders an insight into medicinal plants, traditional farming and even a homemade spa!! We rolled up our sleeves and helped move heavy boulders into a wire cage called “gabion” which required the whole team including several locals from the community.

The last weeks were spent trekking up the active volcano Cotopaxi (5897m), summiting its neighbour Ruminahui (4789m), horse riding through the Andes, chilling in hot springs and white water rafting down a tributary of the Amazon.

As a team we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, the challenge of being in situations that took us all out of our comfort zones, the physical challenge and most of all getting along as a team.

It really was the most fantastic experience!

Nathan Davenport