A mother and daughter are off to build a new classroom for children in Africa after they helped raise the money to pay for it.

Rachel Potter and mum Jennie Potter will leave England on March 7 for a holiday with a difference, in the west Gambian town of Banjul.

Though neither have any experience of construction, they plan to spend a week helping to put up the classroom, which will make more room for 100 youngsters at a primary school. The pair got involved after 54-year-old Jennie, bar manager at Mersea Island's Dabchicks Sailing Club, visited Gambia a year ago and decided to sponsor a young girl's education.

Through the child and her father, she heard about the school's need to expand and roped in Rachel, who works at Colchester furniture store Hatfields, to help raise £1,000 in six months.

  • Anyone who would like to make a donation, can call Jennie on 07745 642517.