A football club has come up with a fun way of helping schoolchildren learn about the lives and cultures of pupils studying thousands of miles away.

Leyton Orient has introduced a pen pal programme for primary school pupils in east London to communicate with children in Texas, USA.

Kent Teague, vice chairman at the club, hand delivered letters from youngsters in his hometown of Fariview, Texas to pupils in Chase Lane Primary School, Chingford and Ainslie Wood Primary School, Highams Park earlier this month.

The literacy project aimed at improving the reading and writing skills of pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5, is supported by the Leyton Orient Trust which is celebrating the club’s 80th anniversary.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Mr Teague presenting pupils at Ainslie Wood Primary School with letters from Texas. 

Mr Teague said: “I’m very excited to be able to take these letters from one side of the pond to the other.

“Our lives may not be exactly the same in Dallas as they are in east London, for example football is called soccer in the states, but as well as learning about what’s different, I hope the young people discover their similarities too.

"When my wife spoke with the Leyton Orient Trust, they saw a great opportunity to match this pen pal programme up with the work they have been doing with schools with the Premier League Primary Stars programme.”

While visiting the schools, Mr Teague presented children with tickets for a Leyton Orient match who in turn quizzed him about his life in the America and his love of sport.

Phill Smith, Head of Health and Wellbeing at Leyton Orient Trust said: “This is a great example of how Leyton Orient works with local schools to enrich their learning in the classroom.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing this develop as the pupils continue to correspond with one another.”