RETIRED teacher Kath Wilkins is leaving her home, family and friends to embark on a two-year teaching project in West Africa.

The 64-year-old former Holy Trinity teacher will fly 3,300 miles from her Darwen home in June to work on a Voluntary Service Overseas project at a resource centre in Ghana.

And the challenge-seeking pensioner, of Avondale Road, Darwen, has put up with around 20 vaccination jabs -- more than one a week since November -- to be safe in the sub-Saharan continent.

Kath said: "I have always done bits and bobs of charity work but I really wanted to do something challenging and take this new opportunity I could learn from."

The professional placement on the upper west corner of Ghana will involve helping teachers to improve teaching methods and preparing training courses about new resources.

And the former Ofsted inspector will have to draw on years of teaching and management experience for the project although she will only be paid the same annual salary as Ghanaians -- about £2,500.

Kath added: "Teachers in this country think they are hard done to because of limited resources but this will be a real challenge. Ghanaians are so proud. Helping teachers in very different conditions will be a real honour."

The intrepid traveller also plans to swop her hobbies of needlework, miniature dolls houses and organ practice for an exploration of African weaving and the "vitality, life and colour" of Ghanaian music.

"I always thought this kind of project fell into the domain of wild 25 year-olds but I am amazed by the number of people who have said they would love to do it."

An extensive training programme is organised by VSO for anyone undertaking work placements in more than 35 countries worldwide in areas of teaching, media, information technology and health.

Having endured vaccination jabs for yellow fever, rabies, hepatitis and typhoid, Kath still insists the worst part will be waving goodbye to her five children and six grandchildren.