TRUE Corinthian sporting spirit is alive and well and kicking in York.

The York Corinthian Foundation, which supports young people in the town of Mueda in Mozambique, is to hold its main fund-raising event - its Charity Sportsman's Dinner at York Racecourse's Gimcrack Suite on Friday, February 18.

The night's guest speaker will be Steve Kindon, the former Burnley, Wolves and Huddersfield Town striker who terrorised defences in the 1970s and 1980s with a burly presence. Lee Crooks, who coached York Wasps as well as playing for Hull, Leeds and Great Britain's rugby league lions, will compere the evening.

Money raised will go towards a building programme at Mueda School with plans to have the cash for a new shower and toilet block in hand by May next year when volunteers and pupils from the charity and Tadcaster Grammar School will travel to Africa to carry out the work.

The YCF was founded in 1995 by the York Corinthian Veterans' Football Club, which was formed to raise funds for the school. The friendship with the school began after York's Vic Florey, who had previously done voluntary work in Africa, was forwarded a letter from Oxfam asking for help with the reconstruction of the school on its re-opening after the country's bitter civil war had ended.

An educational partnership was established when the Mozambique school was twinned with Tadcaster Grammar School.

Exchange visits have been held while funds have been raised to build an all-weather playground for football coaching and the building of an accommodation block for pupils who live at the school.

Since 2000 Mueda School has grown from 450 to 1,250 pupils with the school established as a centre of excellence.

The Corinthians football team play friendly matches against fellow veterans' teams in the York area, contributing match fees to the cause. They also host a variety of fund-raising events such as abseiling, mountain-climbing and walking.

Anyone interested in attending or supporting the sportsman's dinner can contact captain Steve Patrick at s.patrick7@ntlworld.com or by ringing York 331802.

Updated: 11:04 Thursday, December 09, 2004