Actress Helena Bonham Carter played a supporting role at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School as she joined a celebration to mark the end of a South African exchange.

Islington Gazette:

The project has seen 11 students and three teachers from Ntafufu Senior Secondary School in South Africa visiting the Donegal Street school this month.

A ceremony was held at the school, with guests including the Islington-born Harry Potter star, who is a patron of Broaden Out Their Horizons, the charity which set-up the exchange.

The event involved performances, speeches, songs and reflections about the group’s time in the UK.

For all of the South African students the visit to the UK was the first time they have travelled outside the Eastern Cape, let alone abroad.

Lona Bandezi said: “It will be hard saying goodbye because we got so attached to each other.

“Being here has made me think hard about my future and career. The students here are very nice. I am thankful that I came here, I will work harder than before just to reach my dream.

“London is very inspiring. I thank everyone for everything. Words cannot articulate how I feel but tears can.”

The event was made possible thanks to funding from travel website cheapflights.com.

Managing director Andrew Shelton, who also attended the event, said: “I really thought the event encapsulated the power of the great work that you guys do. You have unquestionably changed the lives of those kids forever.”