DESPITE the continuous headlines that we see about failing schools, Britain’s youngsters get one of the best educations in the world.

However, it is often taken for granted by both children and adults alike.

When compared with any Third World country, and many developed nations, Britain’s youth are incredibly lucky to have the start in life they get.

In war-torn Sierra Leone, children aren’t so privileged and just to be able to attend school is a huge privilege. Classrooms are often basic, with very few books and writing materials.

“It is not until you see children in this situation when their country is just starting to recover from Civil War – that it makes you realise just how fortunate we are in the UK,”

said Laura Chapman, a teacher from Worcestershire.

Miss Chapman will be using her skills when she flys out to Sierra Leone next month to help at a school, which was destroyed in the country’s Civil War.

She will be helping with a Worcestershire-based charity called Waterloo.

“I got involved with the charity because the school I was working for at the time in Solihull was getting rid of lots of cookery items.

“They were going to throw it all into the skip so I asked if I could rehome them somewhere,” she said.

“I found out about the charity through a notice in the local shop window and contacted the founder of the charity Laurie Read asking if it was any use to him.”

“The year 11 students I was teaching at the time were studying the Commonwealth countries – of which Sierra Leone is one – and decided that they would also like to fund-raise £65 to buy sports equipment to send over,” she said.

Miss Chapman, of Bath Road, then got heavily involved with the charity after seeing the work they did, and helped them source items such as books, furniture and science equipment to fill two 40 ft (12.19 metres) long containers to send to the school.

In June she also managed to raise £400 through a jumble sale towards buying educational equipment to take over in October.

“I wanted to work with the charity because I love volunteering and taking on challenges,” she said.

The 24-year-old will be setting off near the end of October for her first visit to the war-torn country with four others also helping Waterloo.

Miss Chapman, who is currently the education and information officer at the Duckworth Worcestershire Trust but is also a trained teacher, needs to raise £1,200 for the trip, which will see her helping children in the country with her skills and also teach them English.

Waterloo is run by Mr Read, who is based in Dormston, near Inkberrow, Worcestershire, and who 40 years ago made a trip to the country and fell in love with it.

Now retired, in 2005 he and his wife Sue visited the country to see if he could work there as a surgeon – but he was horrified at what he found.

He was given the chance to visit the Peninsula Secondary School in a village called Waterloo where he had been principal and had taught science many years before.

It was that visit that spurred him to start the charity, help rebuild the school and teach the children there.

“I am really looking forward to my trip in October and it will give me the opportunity to give something back to the community,” Miss Chapman said.

“During my two-weeks there I am hoping to assist in the development of teaching skills, teach the children English and help to create a link with a school in the West Midlands.”

She is looking for sponsorship to help her meet the cost of the visit, which includes transport, visa, medication and accommodation bills.

If you would like to help, contact Miss Chapman on 078289 39541 or email laurasmile73@hotmail.com.

For more details about the charity, visit waterloo-schools.org.