A WOLLASTON high school has joined with primary schools from across Stourbridge to launch a campaign to collect children’s shoes.

Ridgewood High School’s Project Gambia initiative is urging children to donate their used shoes to those in African who are not as fortunate.

Bev Hodt, Ridgewood assistant headteacher and Project Gambia leader, said: “On one of our trips to The Gambia we met Henry Gomez.

“He and his brother George were found outside the school at Half Dye which he was not attending because he had no shoes.

“The village they live in is covered in broken glass and rubbish, meaning without shoes they are at risk of cuts and infections.

“I know that we all have children’s shoes going unused in wardrobes, but our second hand shoes can have a big difference to those in The Gambia.

“By donating any old shoes you may have, whether that’s school shoes, trainers or pumps, it will massively help people like Henry and his friends.

“As well as bringing the shoes into our school, we are also going to set up shoe donation points at each of our partnership primary schools.”

At the recent Stourbridge Learning Partnership Day at Ridgewood, eight Stourbridge primary schools took part in a competition to help design a poster and slogan for the campaign.

The competition was won by pupils from Quarry Bank Primary School for their slogan 'Sole to Sole' which will act as the campaign's strap line.

At the African themed day, which also included Peters Hill, Church of the Ascension, Rufford, Hob Green, Ham Dingle, Amblecote and St James’s students, the children leant about Batik – a technique of cloth dyeing – as well as taking part in African drumming and dancing.