STUDENTS at Pewsey Vale School have been devising charities of their own. Working in small groups the 12 and 13-year-olds were given the brief to create their own charities as part of an enrichment programme of work.

The students spent a year studying different cultures across the world and the difficulties communities experience in Third World countries.

Teacher Lindsay Long said: "This led to a study of charities that support the Third World and students researched the work charities do. In particular, the students looked at life in the Kibera slums in Nairobi."

They had to work in management teams and create their own charity for the Third World including a verbal presentation, computerised screen presentation and leaflets for their charities.

Their final task was to make their presentations to an invited panel comprising charitable foundation representative Sue Grigg, Pewsey Vale School learning resource centre manager Audrey James, and Gazette reporter Nigel Kerton.

Each of the pupil groups had four minutes to explain the work of its charity. They ranged from Goats For Africa the message being that goats can provide milk, skins and can be eaten to education in Kibera Slums.

One charity called Make Me Smile was about getting the HIV and Aids message across.

Mrs Long said: "What was so impressive was the mature level of compassion and concern for struggling communities."