Watch our video of England Lions visiting the Sri Jinananda Children’s Home in Colombo
Members of the England Lions squad took time out of their practice schedule yesterday to visit the Sri Jinananda children's home in Colombo.
Eight Lions players and eight members of the staff went along to see the great work being done by the staff and fundraisers at the boys’ home, which sits alongside the Kelani River running through the city.
The orphanage is home to 67 boys, aged from three to 18 years old, and its aim is to provide a safe home and education for the youngsters to grow up in. The home was set up in 1983 by now head priest Pooja Urumutte Sugathananda Thero, who still runs the facility along with support from many other staff and aid from outside the country.
The England Lions were welcomed into the home by a gift of leaves from every child, before taking part in a welcoming assembly of speeches from the head priest and a greeting with all the boys. The players were then shown round the home and got to see where the boys sleep and do their homework.
After a tour of the facility, the players and staff then went to the local sports field to take part in a huge cricket game plus some smaller football kickabouts.
Finally the team returned to the home to say goodbye, and presented each child with a small gift including a tennis ball to practice their cricket with.
For more information on the home please visit: http://www.jinanandachildrens.org/index.html