FIVE men who grew up in the Tavistock area are about to embark on a 160-mile cycle challenge to raise funds for a project in South Africa. Steve Vanstone (pictured right), 29, is organising the three-day fundraiser in memory of his mother Theresa, from Tavistock, who died in January, aged 53. He will be cycling from Buxton in Derbyshire to High Wycombe along with Tim Payne, Tony Searle, Paul Gordan, Stuart Corbett and Chris Corbett. It is hoped their efforts will raise £5,000 for the Kusasa Project which aims to provide a brighter future for underprivileged children by developing academic, sporting and life skills. Steve, who is a PE teacher at John Hampden Grammar School in High Wycombe, took a group of 20 students out to South Africa on a football tour last year and saw the work of the project first hand. 'It was a real eye opener for all of us,' he said. 'You see it on Comic Relief but it does not really hit home at all. Our team played a township team from Kusasa and the South African children all play barefoot. The money that is raised for the Kusasa Project pays for shoes, teachers and classrooms, things like that.' The school has already raised more than £2,500 to provide children with clothing, school text books and life development skills and the cyclists hope to up this figure again to provide an even brighter future for the under privileged children. The challenge begins on April 6. Anyone who wishes to donate to the cause can phone Steve on 07762 791014 or donate via the website: http://www.thekusasaproject.org">www.thekusasaproject.org
