SHOPPERS at Morrisons in Tavistock will this weekend have the opportunity to help desperately poor families in Africa by donating packets of rice.

Two years ago the Lions Club of Tavistock and Operation Sunshine, in conjunction with the local supermarkets, organised a very successful appeal for rice which was sent out by container to Operation Sunshine's partners in New Hope Villages in Zimbabwe.

Here their projects support many orphanages and schools caring for children who have been abandoned either through poverty or because they have lost their parents through the AIDS virus.

A spokesman for the Lions said: 'More than 1,500 1kg bags of rice were collected in addition to £350 towards the cost of purchasing the container and its transport to Zimbabwe.

'The need for food and support unfortunately still continues, so this coming weekend, the Lions Club and Operation Sunshine are running another appeal at Morrisons in Tavistock.'

Operation Sunshine is a Christian charity which also collects, sorts and packs good quality second hand clothing, household goods, tools, craft materials, medical and educational supplies to help those in great need.

Started in 1981 in Exeter, it has been working in the Tavistock and South Western Area for 26 years. Forty foot long ships containers are being sent to Africa every eight weeks, loaded with all sorts of items including literally the kitchen sink, together with educational and medical supplies, seeds, tools and building materials for the sick and destitute.

Every penny donated goes direct to buying the containers and transporting the goods to their final destinations with no internal administration costs.

The Lions spokesman said: 'The Lions Club have been involved with the Tavistock-based part of Operation Sunshine for a number of years assisting in the packing of the containers at Hurdwick Farm near Brentor and the Lions are delighted to be helping once again with this rice appeal.'

With the very much appreciated support and co-operation of Morrisons, collecting points will be set up at the Tavistock store on Saturday from 10am until 7pm and on Sunday from 10am to 4pm and they are appealing to shoppers to buy a packet of Morrison's value rice and drop it into the collecting point on exit. Alternatively, donations can be made towards the transport costs and container purchase which will leave Tavistock for Zimbabwe on Saturday, February 19. Members of Operation Sunshine will also be on hand on the collection days should anyone require more information on the charity and their projects.