YOUNG people in Kearsley are stretching the hand of friendship and helping make the world a better place.

St Stephen's CE Primary School has established links with a school in Gambia — Serrekunda Lower Basic School.

The friendship between the two started when headteacher Tony Lasan visited while on holiday in the Gambia four years ago.

Now the children are making new friends, with those in Gambia and pupils here finding out more about each others' cultures and traditions — and are working together to make the world a fairer place.

The heads of both schools are also in regular contact — and children are exchanging ideas.

Mr Lasan said: "The children have been exchanging pen pal letters comparing school life in the two countries.

"After seeing photographs in assembly of the learning environment in the Gambian school, the St Stephen’s school council decided to organise a sponsored ‘water carry’ to raise funds for school equipment for the classrooms.

"The school council organised another fundraising event – a sponsored run involving the whole school – and raised a total of £1,200.

"This time, the pupils of Serrekunda School decided that they would like a school garden ‘just like the one at St Stephen’s in England’.

"St Stephen’s is a double ‘Green Flag’ award winner in recognition of their impressive ECO Garden and the implementation of a range of eco initiatives."

After months of hard work clearing a site within the school grounds, making it secure and planting a variety of crops, the fruits of their labours will soon be ready to harvest.

Mr Lasan said: "The children were really excited to see that the money raised had been to put to such good use and school council is already planning another event."

Meanwhile, the pupils in Year Four and Year Five are putting the finishing touches to their pen pal letters ready to post to their new friends in Gambia.