Travel and Tour Bursaries

South Africa Cricket team 2007Each year, the School offers boys a range of trips, each giving an insight into other countries and cultures; for example: a cricket tour to South Africa, a rugby tour to the South Pacific, art tours to New York and Madrid and expeditions to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The Travel and Tour Bursary Fund helps those unable to travel without some financial support.
In the summer of 2011, 45 boys took part in a rugby tour to Australia - eleven of them would not have been able to go without a travel and tour bursary.  The tour's report is below along with a report from  December 2006 when Sherborne's 1st XI were invited to an International Under 19s Cricket Festival in Cape Town.

Australia - summer 2011

119Despite the almost incessant rain which accompanied them on the first part of the tour, the boys gave an impressive account of themselves on the pitch with the A team winning all their matches, which included fixtures against Newington College, Kings Parramatta, St Edmund’s College, Canberra and All Saints Anglican on the Gold Coast.

Alongside a packed schedule of training and playing, the boys were also able to broaden their horizons with a boat trip kindly provided in Hong Kong by OS based out there and, in Canberra, took the opportunity to visit the War Memorial and the Australian Institute of Sport.190

One of the boys said:

"The chance to travel around the world, to explore foreign countries and cultures may only happen once in my lifetime. I only got this chance at Sherborne School via the travel and tour bursary fund.

On the Australia rugby tour I got the chance to improve my sporting skills and endeavours against sides of great strength and skill.  Looking back on it I will never forget it and I will always be forever grateful for the opportunities that the support of the fund has given to me."


South Africa - a cricketing  journey

by Charlie Esson (b) 2007

South African cricket tour"Last year, two sports tours took place and it looked likely that I was only going to be able to take part in one of these, which would have been extremely disappointing and a very tough decision to make, but I am enormously grateful that the bursary from the Foundation made it possible for me not to have to make that choice and meant that I could take full advantage of the wonderful opportunity that was the South Africa tour. It was a great chance to experience playing sport in another country and see how different surfaces and different conditions affected my game.

Furthermore, it was a great learning curve for myself and others as cricketers.  The tour was also incredibly important for the team as a whole since being away together meant that we could really develop as a cohesive group. I feel that this was one of the greatest benefits of the trip and would not have been possible without the Foundation.

South Africa - a cricketing  journey by Charlie Esson (b) 2007For me, it was also the cultural side of visiting South Africa that I found interesting. We played one game against Langa, a township team, and before the game we toured the township giving us an insight into the history and day-to-day survival of the township people. All the boys had infectious smiles and we thoroughly enjoyed the day, but as they headed back after close of play we all reflected on how lucky we are in comparison with the hardships that they face each day.

Being able to go to South Africa thanks to the Foundation was such a positive experience, for which I am extremely grateful. The tour was so much more than just a set of cricket matches, and we were just so lucky to have had an experience that will live on vividly in our memories."