THE FRIENDS of Kelly Association has recently donated £825 to the Tavistock branch of Operation Sunshine, a charity dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to East Africa.

The money was raised through the production by Geri Parlby of the Kelly Ball Brochure, which was given to Kelly College leavers and parents at the Summer Ball last July.

The Friends of Kelly expressed thanks to all the sponsors who advertised in the Leavers' Brochure, allowing this money to be generated and donated. 

Operation Sunshine sends practical aid directly to people who are struggling against starvation, deprivation and disease in East Africa and has been run entirely by volunteers for over 30 years.

Its primary goal is to send five or six 40 foot shipping containers filled with donated goods to refugee camps, leper colonies, hospitals, orphanages, schools and remote villages throughout rural areas of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe each year.

Felicity Derry-Thomas, Operation Sunshine trustee, said: 'Kelly has, over the years, donated clothing and books to the charity; the girls' long kilts have also gone to the women.'

Over 100 volunteers help prepare the shipments for dispatch by sorting and filling the containers at Hurdwick Farm, near Tavistock, and in September, the fifth container this year was sent to Zambia. 

Ann Tregarthen, south west organiser for Operation Sunshine, said: 'We are very grateful to the Friends of Kelly for raising this money which will go towards our next container.'