A VALE woman is using her life-long passion for art and craft to help some of the world's most disadvantaged children.

Val Crane, from Little Comberton, is calling for new volunteers to help give children at Kenya's only boarding school for disabled youngsters a chance to support themselves in adult life.

Together with a small band of committed fundraisers, Val has been teaching the children at the Port Reitz School in Mombassa craft skills using recycled materials that some people throw away.

Earlier this summer she spent a fortnight with the 160 pupils at the school to pass on her knowledge of crafts like machine knitting, rag rug making, patchwork, soft toy making and dressmaking.

"This project will give the children a chance to earn a living when they leave school," said Val, who used to run a decorative candle-making company. "Without our help they would have absolutely no resources but it is incredible how they can make wonderful objects out of things that we would just throw away.

"These are wonderful kids and they are so eager to learn, I cannot wait to go out there again."

Val hopes other people will get involved in fundraising to make sure a steady supply of materials reaches the youngsters. She also plans to buy a computer for the school, to teach the more able children information technology skills.

General funds are also needed to enable all the pupils to complete their education. "Incredibly it only costs £60 to feed one of these children for a year - but even this can be too much for some of the families," she explained. "We still have five who need sponsorship to keep them at the school." Since she came back to the Vale about nine weeks ago Val and her friends have raised about £2,000.

She hopes that groups will accept her offer to give talks about her experiences at the school and perhaps take the opportunity to buy examples of the children's work.

"We have set up a friends' group for the school to make sure everything is done properly," she said. "We do not take any expenses when we visit and we also make sure that all the packages are met on arrival in Kenya, to guarantee that they reach their destination."

Craft workshops have also been set up for disabled adults in Mombassa, who make jewellery using rubbish such as old drinks cans to sell in aid of the school.

The school was founded by a British woman, Margaret Beetham in 1965. At about the same time, by coincidence, Val was living in Kenya, where she married her husband, Denis, the following year.

Anyone who would like to get involved in fundraising or to hear Val talk about her experiences, call her on 01386 710341. She can also be contacted via e-mail at val.crane@virgin.net.