THE boss of a charity that takes youngsters to Africa to help poverty-stricken communities said a group from Darwen was the best he had dealt with.

Youngsters and club bosses from Darwen Spartans Junior Football Club have joined forces with Football Gambia for the past three years, and a fourth trip has been organised for January.

Every year, the club raises cash for its members to go to the country where they carry out tasks such as helping to build schools and hospitals, while also coaching locals at football. And charity founder Ian Stapleton said he was so pleased with the hard work of the Darreners, he was looking for more volunteers for next year.

He said: “We are willing to offer half of the costs of getting there if a couple of young people fancied it next January.

“The Darwen guys are the hardest working of all our supporters by a mile.

“It is important to get as many young people as possible from Darwen as I see the effect they have had in Gambia.”

Mr Stapleton said the trips had had a tremendous effect on those who had gone out.

He said: “I didn’t know Lewis Atkinson, one of the young lads who comes out every year, but I have seen him grow up a great deal.

“If there was ever a chance to employ someone to do the charity full time it would be Lewis. He has just been made one of our trustees, of which there have only been three since we were founded.”

Following the success of the trips to Gambia, Darwen is to be twinned with the town of Lamin during a ceremony in January.

Mark Atkinson, president of Darwen Spartans, said he was set to hold talks with Darwen Aldridge Community Academy about hosting a ceremony in the town in January ahead of an event in Gambia the following week.

The group, which needs to raise a total of £4,000 for next year’s trip, has been given £500 by Darwen Town Council to help.

The town council has also handed over a batch of unsold Darwen Live T-shirts, which will be sent to Gambia.

The charity is looking for donations of cash as well as donations of books and notepads to send out.

Anyone able to help should call Mr Stapleton on 07949 180445.