Students have recently enjoyed a Scuba Diving taster session at Freeman's Quay, Durham in preparation for their forthcoming expedition to the Philippine Islands in South East Asia.

Led by Science Teachers, Mr Lawton and Miss Nixon, the team will travel to the Philippines in summer 2014 to participate in a number of conservation projects to help protect the coral reefs.

As part of the planning process, Mr Lawton, who has an Advanced Open Water diving qualification, contacted the secretary of Durham University Scuba Diving Society to ask for advice and he was delighted when he was invited to take the students to experience diving with expert instruction provided by Durham City Scuba. "We have had applications from a wide range of students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who are bursting with enthusiasm to start preparing and fundraising for the adventure", explains Mr Lawton. "We felt this would be an inspiring and challenging activity to kick start the team building process."

The taster session was a great success and the team are now focusing their efforts on a fundraising and training initiative called "Fit for the Philippines'. Team member, Faye in Year 11, came up with the initiative as a way of fundraising for the trip; the team will be seeking sponsorship to participate in a fitness programme that involves the team swimming, rowing, running and cycling a distance of 7,000 miles, the equivalent of their journey to Cebu in the Philippines. In theory, if every student that contributes mileage to the programme can raise a £1 for every mile they cover the team could raise an astounding £7,000!