Eight students from Peter Symonds College in Winchester have been selected to participate in the Fulcrum Challenge, supported by Southampton Airport.  During February 2008, the team will travel to a remote part of Southern India in order to build a primary school in the Nilgri Hills (translated to Blue Mountains). The challenge is a self-development and team leadership programme spread over many months, and culminates in the two week volunteering programme abroad. 

The eight students include; Flo Denée from Whitchurch, Debbie Campbell from Harestock, Maria Finlay from St Cross, Jonny Halliday from Hamble, Harry Van Schaick from Soberton, Emily Wood from Nether Wallop, Sam Ring from Winchester and Talitha Russell from Stockbridge. The Peter Symonds students will also be joining forces with a further nine students from a college near to Stansted Airport in London.

When they arrive in India, the team of 17 will journey by road to Mysore and then the rest of the journey will be on foot, into the Nilgri Hills. The area encompasses the game reserves of Mudumalai and Bandipur, which includes rich wildlife such as elephants, tigers and leopards. The local people of the Nilgri Hills farm teak using elephants as their main form of transport. The team will then have just two weeks, working dawn until dusk, to build a new primary school for the benefit of the local community, who currently have very limited education facilities. All of the materials and tools for the project will be sourced in India, to ensure the project is completely sustainable. 

As part of their development, the students are challenged to raise £1,500 each, in just three months, which will then be match-funded by The BAA Communities Trust. The Trust is BAA’s own charity, and it supports global projects linked to youth development. The money being raised for the Fulcrum Challenge will pay for the materials used to build the school facility. The Peter Symonds team will be taking part in many activities to raise funds, including; car boot sales, cake baking, dinner party services, babysitting, raffles, supermarket bag packing, talent and fashion shows, car washing services, and Saturday work.

Addressing prospective students, Fulcrum Chief Executive Officer John Hunt said: “Fulcrum is a life-changing experience that will live in your memory forever. While travelling on our learning journey you will come to realise your full potential as both a leader and a team player while taking on real global responsibility for the first time.”

Neil Hopkins, Principal at Peter Symonds College, said: “The Fulcrum Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience life beyond the classroom, and witness the true benefits of volunteering and team work activities. I’m sure the memories and the skills learned as part of the programme will last a lifetime, and our students will further develop into well rounded individuals.”

Jan Halliday, Director of Marketing & Communications at Southampton Airport, commented: “These pupils are the future generation of leaders, and taking part in the Fulcrum Challenge will provide them with unique experiences and skills.  We know that they will be responsible and caring ambassadors for Peter Symonds College and this region, when they are building the new school in India.”

Sam Ring, Student from Peter Symonds College, commented: "For me, the Fulcrum Challenge is the perfect experience - I've always wanted to go and help children in less fortunate circumstances than myself, and I'm so excited about getting to build them a school! I can't wait to look back after two weeks and feel a real sense of achievement!"

Flo Denée, Student from Peter Symonds College, commented: " I have been so lucky to have been chosen to go to India. The fundraising will be challenging, but it will be good to see how the money raised will be spent in the village. Bonding and playing with the children will be awesome."

In addition, upon completion of the programme, all 17 participants will earn an ASDAN Level 3 Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE) qualification, as well as 70 UCAS points to go towards their University entry.  In comparison, an A-Level ‘A’ grade is worth 60 UCAS points.

Media enquiries: 
Debbie Chalk, Communications Executive,
BAA Southampton Airport
Tel:    + 44 (0)23 8062 7141

Notes to Editor:

Fulcrum: Fulcrum is a registered charity which organises nine-month personal development programmes for sixth formers aged 16-17 years. These programmes aim to build students’ confidence, team skills, leadership potential and volunteering attitudes through taking part in extra-mural activities on both a local and global basis. www.fulcrum-challenge.org

BAA Communities Trust: The Trust was established over 10 years ago by BAA.  Since then it has made grants of nearly £4 million for projects in communities local to the company’s seven UK airports, to support charitable initiatives by staff and to global projects linked to youth development.

Photo Left to Right:

(Front Row)
Flo Denée from Whitchurch
Sam Ring from Winchester
Debbie Campbell from Harestock
Emily Wood from Nether Wallop

(Middle Row)
Jan Halliday, Director of Marketing & Communications at Southampton Airport
Maria Finlay from St Cross
Talitha Russell from Stockbridge
Jonny Halliday from Hamble
Harry Van Schaick from Soberton

(Back Row)
Carol Betuschi – Programme Manager at Fulcrum Challenge
Neil Hopkins – Principal at Peter Symonds College