3:20pm Friday 12th March 2010
By Manisha Mistry
A FIREFIGHTER from St Albans will be joining his friends on a charity mission to work with children in one of the poorest areas of Africa.
Tom Bachman, who works at St Albans fire station, will be taking two weeks out to jet off to Rwanda.
The 24-year-old rugby player will be going to schools to teach the children how to play the sport as well as giving them basic aid.
Speaking about the challenge, the Old Albanians player said: “What we will be doing is uniting the children together with all the trouble and conflict they have had in the past.
“Most of the children are orphans from the conflict and for some of the kids they have never seen a rugby ball before so the experience will definitely pull at the heart strings.
“My friends who have been before say working with the children is hard because they get really attached to you.”
While the group are out there they will teach primary and secondary school children how to play rugby before setting up a tournament in the second week.
Tom added: “I am really looking forward to it. It will make a big difference out there to them.”
Girls and boys from the St Albans-based rugby team as well members of other teams will be supporting the work of Friends of Rwanda Rugby.
The charity was set up in response the the 1994 genocide in which thousands of people were killed.
A car wash being held at St Albans fire station on Saturday, March 20, between 10.30am and 3pm will raise money for the cause and the Firefighters' charity.
However Tom is still looking for rugby kits to be donated, before he leaves on May 24, which will be given to the Rwandan children to play the sport in.
Contact the fire station on 01727 818919 to arrange a donation or visit www.friendsofrwandanrugby.org
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