GOVILON's Rebecca Pye was just one of the volunteers to help load hundreds of parcels into a lorry to begin a journey thousands of miles across the continent.
Hundreds of brightly wrapped boxes were being loaded into the van, donated to the project by BS Components, as the sun rose above Govilon. Helpers included Keith Wilson, Donna Williams, Mrs Julia Pye and Rev Alex Pye.
After weeks of collecting gifts to fill the boxes they were filled to the brim with a range of items including stationary, notepacks, toothpaste, plasters and first-aid equipment.
Local groups and schoolchildren have contributed to the project from Llanfoist pensioners, who donated their collection, to Govilon and Llanfoist junior and infant schools who crammed shoes boxes with much-needed items.
The idea is the dream of a medical student, Sian Williams, who hails from Govilon.
Sian, who is studying at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, was part of a group of students who went to Africa to carry out medical research but have now built a school in Zambia. Follow their progress in next week's Free Press
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