HEART-break led to a long-term relationship of a different kind for fundraising Petersfield fire-fighter Steve Stidolph.
When he broke up with his girlfriend just before a planned trip to Gambia, he travelled out alone and fell in love with the country and its people.
The retained fire officer and fitness instructor was so moved when he visited an impoverished school he raised more than £10,000 back home to renovate its dilapidated classrooms.
He has now pledged to raise a further £12,000 this year to fund a library, a recreation room, musical instruments, gardening equipment and facilities for children with dyslexia at the Pakalinding School in Soma.
His money would also pay for a wall to stop the menagerie of exotic animals currently raiding the school’s vegetable patch.
The 34-year-old has made several trips to Africa now to see the new classrooms and to run fitness ‘gladiator’ courses for the children.
He has also spoken to pupils and teachers about his work with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The force has been very supportive of his fundraising efforts which have included sponsored ladder climbs, cake sales and 12-hour spinning class marathons.
For the next phase of his fund-raising he plans to take on the Helskini City Marathon in Finland in August, and arrange fire-fighter car washes.
The school, which teaches 550 infant and junior age youngsters is part of the Kaira Konka Project, established by Marion Christmas of Hampshire Scouts in 1994.
Steve said: “I had booked a holiday with my girlfriend and we were planning on enjoying all the tourist-friendly activities on offer, but we split up and I went on my own.
“I had never seen such poverty first hand and it gave me a new perspective on my own worries and stopped me focusing on my little world.”
If you would like to donate visit Steve’s fundraising link at http://bit.ly/lPytRT