Portsmouth pupils meet Soccer Aid teams as part of Downing Street visit

Prime Minister Theresa May hosted UNICEF and Soccer aid for a official reception at No10 Downing Street.

The reception which saw UNICEF, celebrities, local schools and UNICEF Champions come together to mark the football match that takes place on Sunday. Pupils from Admiral Lord Nelson School in Portsmouth were invited — Prime Minister Theresa May hosted UNICEF and Soccer aid for a official reception at No10 Downing Street. The reception which saw UNICEF, celebrities, local schools and UNICEF Champions come together to mark the football match that takes place on Sunday. Pupils from Admiral Lord Nelson School in Portsmouth were invited

Admiral Lord Nelson School, in Portsmouth, was invited by Unicef to visit the famous street and meet the two teams taking part in Soccer Aid this Sunday.

The pupils travelled to London on Wednesday to set up the course ahead of today’s national Playground Challenge.

The invite came after the school has dedicated years to Unicef’s Rights Respecting Schools programme helping students accept difference and diversity.

The pupils got to meet some Soccer Aid players including Olympic heroes Usain Bolt and Mo Farah, cricket star Freddie Flintoff, comedian Lee Mack and singers Robbie Williams and Olly Murs.

Then, they showed them their assault course which included hula-hooping, throwing and catching, dribbling footballs and scoring goals.

Laura Spurgeon, 13, said: ‘It was exciting knowing who we were going to meet and what we got to do. Seeing Usain Bolt was great.’

Laurence Coqueral, 12, added: ‘It was interesting to sit down and plan what assault course we would be able to do.

Rights Respecting Ambassadors from Admiral Lord Nelson School, Portsmouth, who visited Downing Street and met the prime minister and a host of Soccer Aid stars. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

‘Everyone was really looking forward to setting it up outside Downing Street.’

As part of the visit, the school’s head girl Charlotte Coqueral and Ella Fitzgerald, the lead for the Rights Respecting Schools programme, got to meet Prime Minister Theresa May and speak to her about their involvement in the project.

Charlotte, 15, said: ‘We have been part of the programme since Year 7 so this trip was a nice end to it for us.’

Ella, also 15, added: ‘It was very exciting and such a rare opportunity to meet the prime minister.’

Julia Firth, the school’s Rights Respecting School ambassador, said she was proud of the students. She added: ‘It was an amazing day and such an incredible opportunity. I am so proud of all they have done as part of Unicef’s project. It was an exciting day for the school.’

Penny Mordaunt, Portsmouth North MP and secretary of state for international development, praised the school after visiting them at Downing Street.

She said: ‘Admiral Lord Nelson School has done amazing. Ella and Charlotte have engaged a huge number of people from across the school. What they have been doing is absolutely terrific.’