A PORLOCK couple have helped to deliver a consignment of teddy bears, electronic equipment and much needed funds to a school in Zanzibar as part of an ongoing link-up between West Somerset and the African country.

Stephen and Christine Fitzgerald travelled to the K/Dimbani School in Zanzibar on behalf of the West Somerset-based Friends of K/Dimbani School and the Lions Club of Minehead and District.

The couple met fellow Lions from the Dar es Salaam club during a two-day health camp, which saw 651 people receiving everything from dental treatment and eye screening to blood pressure checks and diabetes medication.

They also met the country's deputy health minister during her visit to the health camp.

The minister took a look at a new well, which is being funded by Minehead and District Lions, and toured a completed accommodation block for teachers, which was supplied by the Friends of the K/Dimbani School.

The friends group was set up in 2007 to raise money to support the development of the African school.

During their trip, Stephen and Christine met with the school's management committee and presented $4,000 on behalf of the friends to pay for the installation of school broadband and for essential repairs to be carried out to the leaky school roof.

Stephen and Christine were able to watch at the official switching-on of the new broadband and saw the first e-mail being sent to England - and the school's new solar panel donated by Porlock's Seapoint Guesthouse being pressed into action when the electricity supply failed.

The couple also delivered a new laptop from Riverside School in Wiltshire, a digital camera from Ravensbourne School in London, a quantity of pencils and calculators and 47 teddies from the Porlock Women's Fellowship.

The following day, they had a tour of a satellite primary and secondary school and held discussions about additional help the friends might be able to provide.

Further talks took place with education and tourism chiefs and a local councillor about plans for a new teaching block at K/Dimbani School, which would include a library, laboratory and three classrooms.

A wall would also be put up around the school to keep out developers and the finishing touches would be added to the teachers' accommodation.

Before returning to the UK, the couple also had a spot of official Lions business to complete at an official twinning ceremony between the Dar es Salaam and the Minehead and District clubs.

Among the guests at the official dinner was the boss of sanitation company Aquasantec, who promised to provide a 2,000 litre water tank for the Lions-funded well following a chance meeting with the Fitzgeralds on the flight to Tanzania!

The official duties were rounded-off with a day of feasting and Christine being given the honour of opening both the teachers' accommodation and school well.

"The whole trip was a memorable experience and a strong reminder that despite the financial state of the UK, we still live in a country where our infrastructure is strong and we will never know what it is like to live on $300 a year and worry about having to go without food in order to buy medication," Stephen said.

The Friends of K/Dimbani School have collecting tins at Toucan Healthfoods, Stuart Lowen, JMF Property Services, Clive Downs butcher (Porlock), Costcutter (Porlock), Alcombe Co-op,Bastins, Seapoint (Porlock), Samarkand, Dana's chipshop, Parks Lane, Hickins, Glenmore Bakery, WHSmith, West Somerset Garden Centre and Hartshanger (Porlock).

And they receive monthly or annual donations from Minehead Male Voice Choir, Porlock Visitor Centre, Porlock Ladies, Porlock Women's Fellowship and Porlock Parochial Church Council.

More information about the work being carried out in Zanzibar is available from Stephen on 01643 862289.