A TEAM of four young people from Okehampton left the town last Friday for South Africa.

Stacey Dufty, Suzy Wood, Abby Davey and Jay Passmore are travelling to Africa to complete their Gold Award with the Okehampton Duke of Edinburgh's Award Open Group.

While in Africa the group will take part in a residential project and an exhibition.

They are being accompanied by supervisor Brenda Bourne and overseas wild country assessor, tutor and award co-ordinator Chris Bourne.

They arrived in Durban at Saturday lunchtime. The group travelled north to the village of Wangu, where they will undertake their residential project.

The main focus of the Impendulo Community Project is to provide support for orphaned and vulnerable children, creating opportunities for them and alleviating poverty and suffering as much as possible.

As well as their residential work the group will visit a game reserve, have a go on the world's highest swing at Oribi Gorge, and undertake special visits throughout their time in Africa.

The group will then fly south to undertake an expedition in the Baviaanskloof Mega Wilderness Reserve.

Chris said: 'The team will study the effect of the invasive black wattle trees, which since being introduced from Australia have slowly devastated water supplies, soil quality and had a serious effect on indigenous species.'

The expedition will consist of two days of orientation, four days expedition and one day back at the Terra Pi base camp, before flying back to Durban and returning to the UK on August 22.