Two Coleg Gwent lecturers are making a splash in a bid to raise money for environmental and educational charities before an expedition to Ecuador in April.
IT lecturer Alun King and Independent Living Skills (ILS) Lecturer Becky Williams, both based at Coleg Gwent’s Crosskeys Campus, are preparing to step out of the classroom and into the exotic rainforests of Ecuador to learn about sustainability and conservation.
The lecturers successfully applied to join a delegation of staff from other Welsh Colleges on the visit, organised by educational company Plan-It Eco. To meet the costs of the trip, which will include the Amazon, Cloud Forest and plateaus of the Andes, and to raise extra funds for Ecuadorian charities, Alun and Becky are taking the plunge with sponsored swimming challenges.
IT Lecturer Alun set himself a target to swim the equivalent length of the channel, 1,413 lengths, in his local swimming pool, and completed the challenge over just two and a half days.
ILS Lecturer Becky is also doing her bit for charities in Ecuador, and will be getting her students involved in helping her to swim 4,345 meters (174 lengths) next month – taking inspiration from the 4,345 mile-long Amazon River.
“Visiting Ecuador in April is a really exciting opportunity to learn about sustainability, conservation, and the challenges faced by other cultures,” said Alun from Pontypridd.
“I’m very pleased that I managed to complete the swimming challenge, and have raised £200 for charities in Ecuador so far.
“My aim is to not only raise funds to cover the trip, but to also raise as much money as I can for charities which preserve schools and the natural environment in the areas we’ll be visiting in Ecuador, such as the Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve and the Yachana Lodge in the rainforest.
“I’m grateful to everyone who has sponsored me so far, you can still donate online and I appreciate any support people can give.”
The 12 day trip will bring the curriculum to life for the college staff, who have been taking part in Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC) training which promotes a more sustainable world through the curriculum.
The Coleg Gwent lecturers will discover the challenges facing the Amazon region and take part in cultural visits, school education projects and community projects guided by indigenous bilingual tribes people.
“Experiencing conservation and sustainability in action will give a unique insight into the lives of people living in rainforest communities and the issues they face,” said Coleg Gwent’s Learning and Development Manager, Sue Snowball.
“Visiting such a dramatic and beautiful region really highlights the importance of finding sustainable solutions to global problems through education.”
If you’d like to make a donation, you can sponsor Alun King online here: http://www.gofundme.com/ecuador2012
