David's thank you after life-changing African trip

Fitness instructor David Foolkes from Deepdale made the comments after colleagues at Fulwood Leisure Centre and local residents helped him raise £2,000.

With the cash he was able to get 35 Ugandan children into school, buy 150 mosquito nets, set up a football school for 70 children and set Ugandan women up with microbusineses.

The 32-year-old said: “I went out last year and did a lot of health and education work with a charity called SIM Africa . I was frustrated that I wanted to do more but didn’t have more funds.

“So I want to thank everyone who helped me raise money by taking part in a zumba event, a business raffle and Santa Dash in Liverpool.”

David spent two-and-a-half weeks in Iganga, eastern Uganda, alongside local charity workers called Emmanuel and Ivan.

Among the items he took out were football kits, speed ladders and pump balls. He also returned to see families he’d grown close to last year, while helping with polio and tetanus immunisations, health checks and teaching in schools.

David was originally inspired to help in Africa after visiting the slums of Nairobi after leaving university.

He said: “It planted a seed and then ofcourse I’ve seen all of the TV adverts. I decided I had to go back and do something and I’ve loved it.

“I feel satisfied and glad that I’ve been able to give these people a bit more of an opportunity, and they’re so grateful - the kids went bonkers when they sawe we’d got them all new football kits.”

David is now working on fundraising ideas for another return journey.