AFTER an appeal for unwanted sewing machines appeared in the Herald, Laura Plant of the Fernhurst Centre, collected no fewer than 20 machines.

They came in all shapes and sizes and dated from the 1920s to the 1950s, electric and manual, but they will all be refurbished and sent to Malawi to support a school and community project run by UK charity Sparkle Malawi.

Sarah Brookes, founder of Sparkle Malawi – www.sparklemalawi.org – explained: “ I spend eight months of the year in this poor rural African community and the sewing machines will allow villagers to support themselves other than by brick making and subsistence farming.

“Local tailors will refurbish the machines and teach dressmaking skills to community members.”

Laptops and mobile phones, refurbished for free by Microsoft, are used in the school and adult learning classes.

The charity is always looking for volunteers of any age and stage to visit the project. Details are on the website.

Antonia Plant, a trustee of the the internet cafeand community centre, said: “The Fernhurst Centre has run a recycling project for several years allowing members of the public to bring in unwanted IT equipment and mobile phones. These are refurbished or disposed of in an environmentally friendly way by a local licensed recycling company that guarantees to wipe and destroy all personal data on the machines.

“Over 300 items have been collected so far and we were delighted to have had such an amazing response to our article in The Herald asking for sewing machines as well as laptops and mobile phones to send to Malawi.”

For information about the centre call 01428 641931or log on to www.fernhurstcentre.org.uk