CHIEF Constable of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary John Evans was in Okehampton on Friday to pledge his support for a project which aims to build understanding between young people of different nationalities and cultures.

The Heartstone Project, which is been part-funded by the police and Devon and Cornwall County Councils has been adopted by ten schools across the two counties including Clinton Primary School at Merton.

Children will be encouraged to examine citizenship, the environment and racial awareness and develop their communication skills through linking up with countries across the globe.

Heartstone, which is a national non-profit making charity based in Merseyside, currently operates with 70 local authority areas.

Headteacher of Clinton Primary School Hilary Hunkin, who was at the local launch at Okehampton Police Station on Friday, said although the school had no ethnic mix it did not mean to say racism and associated issues were not important.

'These children are not going to live in the village all their lives,' she said. 'We are aiming to produce children who are caring and show responsibility and understanding of each other.

'We also want them to enjoy their differences rather than resent them.'

Each Heartstone Project group will be supplied with an introductory pack of materials to help them through the three-part project.

Part one addresses the issues of prejudice and intolerance; part two involves considering social and environmental issues in groups and part three concentrates on awareness of the wider community.

It is hoped the programme with speak for itself and other schools will be encouraged to introduce it into the classroom.

Chief Constable John Evans said there were 22 specialist police youth affairs officers working directly with the 800 schools and colleges in the region and together with the education authority the police were helping young people to become caring and responsible members of the society.

'We have to make sure we can do all we can to give our young people the best possible start,' he said. 'The Devon and Cornwall Constabulary fully support this project in collaboration with the education authority, not just in terms of funding but our youth affairs officers will assist the teachers in this venture.'