For several years Dr Thomlinson has linked up with a school in Zambia. Through the Zambezi Trust Dr Ts has raised money for and formed a friendship with Linda College, a school in rural Zambia that educates pupils from the age of 5 to 18.

As well as sending letters to the pupils, once a year we set up a video call between the two schools – in February 2026 some of year 6 pupils spoke with children from Zambia to get a better idea of how conditions differ between our two schools.

The pupils asked a series of questions and found that in Linda Community College there can be as many as 75 pupils in one class compared to our high 20s. Living in rural Northumberland some of our pupils’ journeys can be quite lengthy however many children in Zambia walk over 2 hours to and from school. And where our journey can be hampered by potholes and animals on our roads, children in Zambia must navigate lions, leopards, hippos, crocodiles and elephants.

We look forward to receiving more pen letters from our friends in Africa and gaining a greater understanding of where they live.