TWO containers packed to capacity with goods have been dispatched from West Devon to provide much needed help to post-war zones of Central Africa.

The ?TCC Workforce? from Tavistock Community Church at King?s building in Pixon Lane recently loaded about 1,000 items donated from hospitals, councils, schools, businesses and many individuals.

The two 20-ft containers set off with a wide variety of items ? ranging from mice and computers to bandages, uniforms, gowns, oxygen masks and even spare legs.

This was all part of the on-going Great Lakes (Africa) Mission which evolved from Tavistock Community Church work in Rwanda in 1998. During this period one church with a congregation of 30 has grown to about 100 churches of approximately 30,000.

Tavistock Community Church now supports this work, ?The Family of God? churches led by Bishop Sadiki.

The church?s pastor Colin Bond said: ?To help TCC has been trying to set up clinics and dispensaries with local people for sick and wounded in Central Africa.?

Already more than £8,000 has been spent by the church to send two containers to this war zone.

?There are more materials waiting to go but we need to raise another £8,500 to send more containers,? said Mr Bond.

?More goods are still arriving. If anyone would like to make a donation it would be very welcome.?

Mr Bond said if would be ?wonderful? if schools or classes could sponsor a school in Central Africa.

?If say a school could donate £50 per month this supplies a teacher for 40 orphans who otherwise face begging, prostitution or crime.?

He said there was a real need for organisational, managerial book-keeping skills.

?Doctors, technicians, or teachers may even like to give a couple of months training in situ to the locals . . .?

TCC member Derek Perry said the Great Lakes (Africa) Mission has brought out the best in people because so many have wanted to help.

?They can see that we are doing something positive and not there to make a name for ourselves,? he said.

?In the near future we would like to establish links with schools. Maybe a class could adopt a class in Africa and help with a shoe box collection of pens and pencils. Two schools are showing an interest already.?

He said the project had expanded so much in the past 18 months.

?We have been blessed with goods given from the Sunshine Charity at Whitchurch who are helping us with equipment.

?What this does is bring a lot of communities together because everyone is working for the same good cause,? said Derek.

Already there are enough donated items from across the community to send out another two containers full.

More information about the Great Lakes (Africa) Mission can be found on the TCC website: http://www.kingsnews.org.uk">www.kingsnews.org.uk