The PR and Marketing Officer teamed up with SCORE who specialise in bringing sports coaches from around the world to train and educate young people throughout the African continent.

SCORE’s South African project focuses mostly on girls and features HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, life and leadership skills, sexual abuse and gender equality.

Hayley commented: “I lived with the host families, so really got to live the African way and worked with almost 100 people in three different communities across the North West Province.

“The sessions mean that local people can now deliver football to children, which will help reduce the challenges that these communities face every day.

“If every one of those teachers or community volunteers now coaches a team, I will have helped to make a difference to over 1000 children in some of the poorest communities in South Africa.”

Hayley’s South African football experience was a world away from the grassroot facilities that clubs back in Sheffield get to use on a weekly basis: “I had to walk a couple of miles every day to the pitch and most of them were just dirt and gravel with a few cows and goats wandering round,” explained Hayley who also helped stage a football and netball tournament in the coastal resort of East London for 450 children and adults.

“I feel I have accomplished my objective, which was to make a difference to people’s lives through football,” said Hayley who also spent three weeks volunteering at a rehabilitation centre for lions in Zimbabwe.

“The small part I’ve played is not going to change the world, but I’m happy to say that I’ve done my bit.”

For more information on the projects visit: www.score.org.za and www.africanimpact.com.