THE headteacher of Frensham Heights School has regaled members of the Rotary Club of Farnham with tales of his two weeks sleeping rough in sub-zero temperatures in a bid to raise money for an African partner school.

Andrew Fisher told Rotarians a little of the philosophy of Fresnham Heights but also talked about how the school links with and supports its partner school in Malawi, a largely agricultural African country with a very low income per capita.

Andrew was invited to the club’s lunch on October 11 because a member had himself been inspired when reading about how in February 2017, Andrew had spent almost two weeks sleeping rough in woods in sub-zero temperatures in a bid to raise money for the partner school.

Frensham Heights has provided support for schools and orphanages in Malawi for over nine years and hopes to continue for many more.

It all started with support for All Saints School in Mtumthana which, with Frensham Heights’support, has been transformed from not much more than a few dysfunctional buildings to a thriving school now able to provide support for other schools in the area and provide itself with an income from selling services, such as photocopying.

More recent fundraising efforts have been made to support another school in the area – Vikwa – where premises for the teachers were very much needed along with basic items such as desks and stationery, and even lab coats to put them on a level footing with other schools when competing in local competitions.

Norma Corkish, of the Rotary Club of Farnham, said: “It was clear that for Andrew supporting the education of children and young people in Malawi is a mission and a passion.

“But, as he pointed out in introducing his staff and pupils to this startling different environment to their own, they all gain in an understanding and appreciation of what they have and what they can give.”