WORK to forge links between a Burnley school and a South African educational establishment have been given a claret and blue boost.

Teachers and students at Blessed Trinity RC College have been dreaming up ways of bringing them closer to their counterparts at East Rand School for the Arts.

Beth Watson, the school’s creative and performing arts co-ordinator, has strengthened the union between Gauteng and East Lancashire with an exchange visit, alongside governors chairman Father Brian Kealey.

And a bagful of Burnley FC shirts, taken out by Father Brian, helped to win more new friends.

The claret and blue strips were split between the East Rand’s team and the Denneysville drop-in center in Johannesburg, which the Burnley school sponsors.

This week an East Rand teacher, Ummeli Gxowa, is making a return visit and will be taking an active part in lessons.

Mrs Watson said: “I am so proud of this partnership and what has already been achieved in such a short space of time.

“It was a pleasure to spend a week with the East Rand School of Arts, who were very accommodating. Their students were so keen to be involved and I hope this partnership will now go from strength to strength.”

During her time there she taught a variety of classes and secured pen pals for students back in the UK. Mrs Watson also met with the British Council in South Africa, which praised Blessed Trinity’s efforts.

David Nkosi, a Djembe drumming teacher has previously visited Burnley and classes in both schools have been studying each others’ cultures.

Now Blessed Trinity is looking to bring over four students from East Rand’s jazz band to Britain.

A fundraising concert will take place on Thursday at Blessed Trinity from 7pm.