Lancing College has been linked with the central East African country of Malawi for over 40 years. Since 1982 there have been 20 biennial expeditions of Lancing students to the country, and tens of thousands of pounds have been raised for the individuals, children’s homes, school and clinic we support out there as a College community.

Our biggest fundraising event is the Malawi Sponsored Walk across the Downs, which falls on the first Saturday of the new school year. The focus of the walk is funding the continuing education of Malawian students.

Lancing has supported Open Arms, a UK registered charity caring for orphaned and abandoned children in Malawi, since it was founded in 2000. Since 2013 we have been involved in the direct sponsorship of Norman, who arrived at Open Arms as an infant almost 20 years ago; he is now in his final term at The Catholic University of Malawi. In 2020 we partnered with the charity Care In Action to sponsor students reading university degrees in Malawi: Veronica & Promise graduated (in Nursing and Environmental Sciences respectively) in May 2025; Brighton is in his final year reading Optometry and we begin sponsoring two new undergraduates, Judith and Steven, from January 2026.

We additionally sponsor five children through their secondary education. We’re expecting every Lancing College pupil to take part in the walk, and setting a personal target of at least £50.

If everyone manages that, we will raise £20,000 comfortably, which would be a magnificent total, covering the year’s education fees for all nine students, as well as money for books, exam fees, and living costs. Additional funds raised will go towards our other Malawi projects at Chankhasi School and Kumanda Clinic.