by Nic Earls | Mar 1, 2026 | Uncategorized
The first of many unforgettable days on our Gambia Project adventure — and this one came with early alarms, energetic teamwork, and some surprisingly impressive pestle-and-mortar skills! We kicked off the day with breakfast and a briefing at 8:00am. By 9:00am, fuelled by toast and enthusiasm, we set off for Kotusilo Village and Omega School.
Our first group visited Kotusilo Village were hands-on from the start. And when we say hands-on, we really mean it!
Students tried their hand at:
- Using a washboard and hanging up their washing
- Fetching water from the well (arm workout included)
- Sweeping floors (future tidy room promises pending)
- Using a traditional pestle and mortar
It turns out that pounding ingredients the traditional way requires serious upper-body strength! The students threw themselves into every task with fantastic enthusiasm. It was brilliant to see them embracing village life and gaining a real appreciation for how different (and physically demanding!) daily routines in the Gambia can be.
Next stop, Omega School, newly built thanks to the amazing fundraising efforts of The Earls and the Gambia Project. Seeing the school standing proudly was a reminder that all those sponsored events and fundraising drives really do make a difference.
Our students picked up pencils and paintbrushes to start adding numbers and letters to the nursery classrooms. There was careful concentration, a few artistic flourishes, and thankfully only minimal paint on clothing! However, Jack wins the award for the most paint on… himself. It was a proud moment to see our students coming together.
Before heading back to the hotel, we made a quick supermarket stop.
Lunch followed at 12:30pm, and by 1:30pm it was time for the afternoon switchover.
At 4pm the students enjoyed well-earned rest with time in the pool, along with some hand-stand competitions and an exhibition of varying levels of diving. Winner goes to our very own triathlete Jonathan.
At 7:00pm, we gathered for dinner. Students sampled some delicious Gambian dishes and, for those craving a taste of home, there were also reliable favourites like chips and pasta. It’s fair to say the chips remain undefeated in popularity — though several students are becoming increasingly adventurous with local flavours!
We’re incredibly proud of how they approached the first day. They have learnt some valuable school uniform maintenance skills today such as washing, hanging up washing and ironing. We urge you to put these to the test when they return home.
Team Project Gambia
by Nic Earls | Mar 1, 2026 | Uncategorized
And we’re off!! The coach departed the Earls at 00:20 in the early hours of the morning, with a mixture of excitement and sleepy smiles from our students. e made a scheduled stop at Oxford Services at 2:30am, giving everyone a chance to stretch their legs and recharge before continuing our journey south. You could tell they were tired, as the KFC remained untouched at the services.
After arriving at Gatwick Airport, we boarded our 10:00am flight bound for Banjul. The six-hour flight gave students an opportunity to recuperate and reflect on the busy days ahead. We saw some interesting sleeping positions to say the least including; brace, forehead on table, trying to catch a fly and spread limbs in the trolley aisle.
At 6:20pm local time, we safely arrived at our hotel in The Gambia. Despite the long journey, the group showed enthusiasm by singing some classics on the coach by Amy Winehouse and Nicki Minaj. All resources have now been unpacked and are ready to be distributed to the schools we will be visiting tomorrow.
After a very long but rewarding day of travel, it’s now time for some well-earned rest before a busy day tomorrow, when we begin visiting 2 local schools. Thank you to everyone for your continued support — we look forward to sharing more updates soon!
PS we’ve made friends with the Geckos in the shower, we wonder who our visitor will be tomorrow!
Team Project Gambia
by Nic Earls | Feb 20, 2026 | Uncategorized
A Ski Trip Finale
Well folks, we made it. Against all odds, questionable decisions, and at least three “last runs” that were absolutely not the last run… we survived the mountain. All of us. Every limb accounted for and maybe one sporting a new cast.
The Final Day Feels
There’s something magical about the last day of a ski trip. The legs are cooked. The goggles are permanently fogged. Your ski socks can walk to the mountain alone. And yet, somehow, the vibes? Immaculate.
We woke up knowing this was it. The grand finale. The swan song. The “let’s pretend we’re pros even though we still can’t gracefully get off the lift” day. The mountain had just enough ice patches to keep us humble. Every run felt like a victory lap.
The TikTok Era Begins
Now let’s talk about what this trip was really about: cinematic excellence.
Yes. It was TikTok Day
Somewhere between yesterday and today and we collectively decided we were not just skiers — we were content creators.
At one point, we had a full production crew:
One person filming.
One person directing.
One person saying, “Wait, my helmet hair isn’t ready.”
And one person just lying in the snow because they were tired but still committed to their bit.
Safe. Sound.
The best part of this whole trip?
We all made it down the mountain safe and sound.
No broken bones (from skiing at least)
No lost skis (for more than five minutes).
No dramatic ski patrol sled rides.
Just tired legs, huge smiles, and phones full of chaotic, elite-level TikTok content.
We conquered the lifts.
We conquered the slopes.
And most importantly, we conquered the mountain — respectfully and responsibly.
But for now, we leave the mountain exactly how every ski trip should end:
Exhausted.
Laughing.
And with memories that will last a lifetime.
The students have been such an exceptional credit to the school (and to us!) that if there were an Olympic medal for brilliance, good manners, and all-round awesomeness, they’d be on the podium waving like champions.
The final Awards are :
KS4 Best male skier – Mason
KS4 Best female skier – Phoebe
KS3 Best male skier- Harry
KS3 Best female skier girl – Poppy
Most progress group 1 – Arabella
Most progress group 2 – Guy
Most progress group 3 – Reagan
Most progress group 4 – Ethan F
Most progress group 5 – Bella
Master of mischief – Jakob , Ollie
Best big brother – Jack K
Politest – Hudson
Most disorganised – Eshwar
Friendliest – Lexi F
Little princess – Sianna
Most supportive – Jessica, Lewis
Best hype man – Jack C
Slalom winners
Group 1 – Mason
Group 2 – Harry
Group 3 – Jakob
Group 4 – Lewis
Group 5 – Bella
by Nic Earls | Feb 19, 2026 | Uncategorized
Big Slopes Energy
Day Five = promotion day.
This morning there was BIG news. Almost all the groups got moved up to the bigger slopes. Yes. The actual big ones. The ones we stared at on Day One thinking, “Absolutely not.”
Suddenly we were those skiers. The ones riding higher lifts. The ones looking mildly confident. The ones pretending we totally weren’t nervous.
The mountain looked incredible today — wide runs, longer descents, and views that made us forget how tired our legs were. For about five seconds.
The bigger slopes meant:
* More speed
* Longer runs
* Bigger turns
* Slightly louder screaming
Meanwhile, the top group had their own plot twist.
New instructor.
Which meant they had to prove themselves all over again. Imagine finally reaching expert status and then having to re-audition for the role of “Competent Skier.”
Apparently there was a lot of very serious skiing. Very sharp turns. Very intense focus. Possibly even some showing off. When a new instructor is watching, suddenly everyone remembers how to ski properly.
Rumour has it there were some impressive parallel turns and maybe even controlled speed.
By the afternoon, everyone was exhausted but proud. Moving up slopes feels official. Like we’ve levelled up in a very cold video game.
Five days ago we could barely stand up in skis.
But wait. The day wasn’t over. We now had the ice rink to conquer, because apparently balancing on skis for five days wasn’t enough.
So off we went to the rink at to strap knives to our feet and test our coordination again.
You’d think skiing would help.
It did not.
The overconfidence was immediate. There was lots of students gripping the barrier like it was a survival situation. There were elegant skaters. There were cautious shufflers.
And then there were the human pinballs.
The sound of skates scraping, people laughing, and the occasional dramatic thud filled the rink. To be fair, most wipeouts were followed by applause. Or at least loud commentary.
By the end, a few were actually gliding around like winter athletes. The rest? They specialised in controlled chaos.
Day Five summary:
* Bigger slopes conquered
* New instructor impressed (hopefully)
* Ice skating survival rate: high
* Energy levels: critically low
Tomorrow we go one last time to the mountain. Students are coming to terms with the fact that being a skier is 40% skill and 60% determination.
Today’s awards go to:
Kamikaze – Jess for taking lots of fall and spins
Poser – Lily for claiming she was doing parallel then falling
Muppet of the day – Serene for leaving her bag at the slopes
by Nic Earls | Feb 18, 2026 | Uncategorized
Day 4 – Blue Skies and Race Day
Day four of ski trip and miraculously, we are still skiing.
We woke up to actual blue skies. Not the suspicious “it might clear later” kind. Proper postcard, sunglasses-required, “this is going on the school website” blue skies.
The sun was shining so brightly that everyone suddenly thought they were professional skiers. Yesterday’s cautious snowploughers transformed overnight.
The race begins mid morning. The course was set. Gates were planted. Competitive spirits were unleashed.
The first few racers actually looked quite impressive. Then came the rest of us.
Nothing — and I mean nothing — compares to watching teachers race each other.
Suddenly it wasn’t about demonstrating technique. It was about pride.
One teacher crouched so low they looked like they were auditioning for the Winter Olympics. Another took such an aggressive line that we genuinely thought we might need to call mountain rescue
There was Unexpected speed and Questionable cornering
After the adrenaline wore off, we all returned to our natural state: exhausted.
The sun had tricked us. We were warm, yes — but also somehow more tired than every other day combined. It’s amazing how racing for approximately 38 seconds or in some cases 2 minutes can drain every ounce of life from your body.
The evening plan was watching an ice hockey match.
Nothing prepares you for ice hockey if you’ve never watched it live before. It’s like:
* Football… but faster.
* On ice.
* With more falling.
* And occasional legal fighting.
The puck moved so fast that half the time we were just applauding because everyone else was. There was shouting. There was chanting.
At one point someone asked, “Is that allowed?” The answer seemed to be: probably.
By the end, we were fully invested experts in ice hockey.
Day 4 summary:
* Sunshine: 10/10.
* Racing skills: mixed.
* Staff competitiveness: concerning.
* Ice hockey knowledge: suddenly elite.
* Energy levels: absolutely none
Tomorrow we ski again. Our legs disagree, but our egos from race day say otherwise.
Today’s awards go to:
Kamikaze – Oliver P for using other students as brakes to break his fall.
Poser – Mrs Wycherley for smashing the slalom race
Muppet of the day – Ayden falling over whilst showing off in front of another group.
by Nic Earls | Feb 17, 2026 | Uncategorized
Day 4: Confidence, Chaos & Competitive Bowling
Day 3 on the slopes has arrived… and we are officially skiers. (Or at least we look like we know what we’re doing from a distance.)
This morning, something magical happened. People who spent Day 1 sliding sideways and apologising to the snow were suddenly making actual turns. Parallel skiing is no longer a myth — it’s happening.
The beginners bravely tackled bigger slopes, armed with determination and slightly dramatic facial expressions. Meanwhile, the more advanced groups zoomed off looking like they belonged in the Winter Olympics (or at least a very low-budget version of it).
By the afternoon, confidence levels were high. Possibly too high. There were races (unofficial, obviously), impressive stops, and a few surprise snowploughs when speed suddenly felt like a bad idea.
But spirits stayed high, and everyone helped each other up, skis and dignity included.
Just when our legs thought they could finally rest… it was bowling time.
Yes, after skiing all day, we decided the logical next step was competitive sport involving heavy balls and snazzy shoes.
The bowling alley quickly turned into a championship arena. There were:
* Dramatic wind-ups
* Confident victory poses (before the ball even hit the pins)
* Balls that rolled so slowly we aged slightly waiting
Some students uncovered hidden bowling talents — strike after strike like absolute pros. Others mastered the art of the gutter ball with impressive consistency. It’s all about commitment.
The teachers joined in too, proving that:
1. They are extremely competitive.
2. They will absolutely mention their high scores tomorrow.
3. They celebrate strikes like they’ve won a gold medal.
There were cheers, chants, and at least one celebratory dance that will definitely resurface at school.
Day 4 has been the perfect mix of progress and pure chaos. We’re skiing faster, falling less (mostly), and bonding over both snowy triumphs, bowling defeats and the blocked toilet in the room of the 7 boys.
Today’s awards go to:
Kamikaze – Jack R ploughing into people
Poser – Jakob S asking to live groups and jumps on the flat
Muppet of the day – Jack C for forgetting his ski pass
– Mrs Wycherley
