A MAN who spent eight weeks in Papua New Guinea in the 1990s helping islanders to develop the infrastructure needed to host the South Pacific Games will be giving an illustrated talk in Horrabridge on November 17.

John Howells was, at the time, head of physical education and sports sciences at Marjon, and was sponsored for the visit by British Education Services Overseas to help and advise on the project.

There are more than 3,000 islands in the South Pacific, and athletes and sportsmen and women representing many of them arrived in Papua New Guinea for the occasion.

Papua New Guinea is the second largest island in the world after Greenland, but roads were more-or-less non-existent. In John's words it was like stepping into another world.

While English is one of the official languages of the country, there are over 800 languages listed for the country, and 82% of its inhabitants live in rural areas, some in almost complete isolation in tropical forest areas.

John travelled the length and breadth of the island, mostly by air, and saw many idyllic beaches, used only by the fishermen.

The South Pacific Games that were John's original reason for going proved to be a great success, and many of the programmes that he wrote to help Papua New Guinea train its own sports administrators are still being used there.

However, the island has its dark side, and that provides the sting in the tail of what will be a fascinating illustrated talk.

All proceeds from the evening, which begins at 7.30pm, will go towards refurbishment projects in St John's Church, where the talk takes place.

Admission will be £2 per adult, with no charge for children and young people under 18 years.

Cheese and wine, coffee, tea and biscuits will be available.