EVER wanted to change the world while sitting at home? Well, here's the way.

Just take pen and paper and fire off a few letters to repressive regimes across the globe which are locking up prisoners of conscience.

That's what the people of Amnesty International do and it can be mighty effective.

The comfort zone of historic Worcester in Middle England is a long way from a scary prison cell in Burma. But city members of Amnesty are currently involved in a concerted letter writing campaign to free student, Aye Aung, who is held in Kalay Prison in the country now known as Myanmar.

At least Aye Aung was a student in 1988, when he was arrested and detained by the Army government for apparently no other reason than he dared to demonstrate against its poor quality of education.

Since then he has not been charged with any offence, he has been tortured and his health has deteriorated badly.

Aye Aung's case has been allocated to the Worcester branch of Amnesty as their cause celebre, so it's all hands to the letter writing.

The missives are addressed to the Prime Minister of Myanmar and call for the student's immediate and unconditional release.

"Letters to a person in authority really do make a difference," said Peter Yates, the secretary of Amnesty's Worcester group.

"Across the world, five prisoners of conscience are released every day and while Amnesty would never claim to be solely responsible for any release, it is well known that governments do take heed of its campaigns.

"Even the most brutal dictatorships have to realise that they are being watched and judged by how they treat their own citizens."

Amnesty International was launched in 1961 with an article written by British lawyer Peter Benenson.

His newspaper appeal, The Forgotten Prisoners, called on people to begin working peacefully for the release of thousands of men and women imprisoned throughout the world for their political and religious beliefs.

The response was immediate and Amnesty has grown into the world's largest international voluntary organisation dealing with human rights.

It now has more than two million members and supporters in more than 140 countries and territories.

The Worcester group was founded in 1974 by a small band of concerned people, including city social worker Michael Harding, who became its first chairman, his wife Brenda and well known local osteopath Eric Twinberrow from Shrubbery Avenue.

Other groups have formed in Bromsgrove, Malvern and Pershore, with another covering the Wyre Forest area around Kidderminster.

As with most voluntary organisations, Worcester Amnesty revolves around a core of more committed members - about a dozen - while a membership list stretching towards 100 can be called on for letter writing campaigns.

To keep going, Amnesty relies on donations from its members and the public, the latter source difficult to tap sometimes as more high-profile and immediate calls are made on the public's conscience. In 2005, for example, there have been the tsunami and earthquake appeals, to name but two.

"We never ask for nor accept money from governments," Peter added. "This is to protect the organisation's independence. We must be shown to be unbiased, not supporting or opposing any government or political system.

"We take up cases whenever we consider there are reliable grounds for concern, regardless of what the government or the victims believe.

"Our vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards."

A laudable aim to make the world perfect. Sadly it's not, but if you want to do your bit to make it better and can spare the time to write a letter, you can begin by phoning Peter Yates on 01905 422565.