A BRADFORD student, who is studying sports coaching at Leeds Trinity University, has travelled to Africa for a volunteering project with national charity Cricket Without Boundaries.

James Massheder, who plays cricket for Yeadon in the All Rounder Bradford Premier League, is part of a group of five students from Leeds Trinity studying primary or secondary physical education and sports coaching who will teach cricket skills and raise awareness of HIV and Aids in Rwanda until mid-June.

They will train local PE teachers on how to integrate sports coaching with HIV and Aids awareness messages before delivering cricket sessions in various schools throughout the week. On the final day of each project, all of the schools will come together for a festival, before the project is delivered again one week later in a different location.

James, a primary PE and sports coaching student whose family home is in the Kings Road area of Bradford, said before he flew out on Thursday: “Volunteering in Rwanda will not only develop my coaching skills, but teach me how to adapt to different situations and environments, and encourage me to spend time with different people.

"It will be a huge benefit to my future coaching and teaching career and I’m really looking forward to the trip as a whole.”

The group of students will be joined by other Cricket Without Boundaries volunteers to ensure a good mix of qualified coaches and non-coaches.

Nina Fryer, a senior lecturer in health and wellbeing at Leeds Trinity, will also join the students as a mentor.

She said: “Nearly 15 years ago, I became interested in health development in developing countries while studying for my Masters in public health, and I’m delighted to be part of a team and organisation like Cricket Without Boundaries that are putting these principles into action.

"I’m really excited and proud to be part of this project with our students.”

The students taking part will gain academic credits for the trip, which is being undertaken in place of their second year compulsory professional work placement.

They have raised in excess of £700 each to take part in the project, which covers accommodation, transport and sports equipment which is then left with schools in Africa.

Leeds Trinity University was the first university to partner with Cricket Without Boundaries in 2013, and since then 12 students have taken part in four trips to Africa.

Between them, they have supported the charity in coaching more than 8,000 children and training over 105 coaches.

You can follow James’ journey through the Cricket Without Boundaries blog: www.cwbblogs.com/rwanda17.