Gardenia Primary School RFC U13 team from South Africa will visit London for a week from February 1-6.

The team will be hosted by King's House School, Richmond who played their first match against Gardenia in South Africa April 2006.

Gardenia School is situated in a very economically and socially deprived area of Belhar; a suburb of Cape Town.

The environment does not create a positive environment for the children and many of them have had a very hard start to life.

The school has become a safe haven and a beacon of hope and sustenance to these children.

It sets firm foundations and tries to inspire them to persevere and to achieve their goals in life.

The original tour by King's House was much more than just a sports tour.

Organiser and Head of PE, Duncan Simpson worked closely with the South African tour operators, Bundu Bashers, to identify a township team in the Cape Town area that had never received a visit from a UK team.

It was a learning experience for all those in the party and the pupils were encouraged to discover more about the lives of the Gardenia boys, as well as playing some good rugby.

In the run up to the trip parents, staff and boys raised funds by holding a variety of creative events.

The money raised went towards Gardenia's sports and development.

Some money supported the building work necessary to provide a new computer room in the school; paying the builders and equipping it with power points and flooring.

The boys from Kings House took rugby balls, equipment and team shirts for their fellow players.

The Principal of Gardenia Primary School, Kevin Sonn said: "This was a very special and fruitful event, where teachers, pupils and the community interacted with each other.

"A relationship began between both schools where the pupils not only improved their rugby skills but also their lives.

"Our intention was always to continue that relationship."

The money left from the fundraising has now been used to bring a team of eighteen boys and three staff from Gardenia over to England.

They will all stay with host families from King's House for a week, totally integrating into school and home life.

This is an exciting venture for these boys, who have never left their home city before.

Headmistress at King's House, Stephanie Piper said: "It is almost a year since our visit and we thought it would be a great way to continue this friendship by working with touraid and using what remains of our fundraising money to pay for the pupils from Gardenia to come to London to play rugby in another country and experience a little of our culture."

The boys will play a return fixture against King's House as well as facing up to some tough competition at the National Prep Schools Tournament.

Once again there have been lots of offers of help and support and the boys have a very exciting programme ahead of them.

During their short stay they will also visit the sites, of London, take a tour of Wembley stadium and spend an afternoon at Eton College, hosted by the college and some of its pupils.

Sonn added, "Our school community appreciates this positive assistance that will improve the lives of their children. This is a unique and once in a life time opportunity for these pupils to visit another country and get to know different people and their cultures."

touraid have helped with the organisation and support of this unique event. touraid's aim is to create a sustainable cultural, social, educational and economic links between the touring side and the host school. Both teams are looking forward to reacquainting themselves with each other and developing new and lasting friendships.