FERNHURST Centre is helping to stitch up a better future for a village in Malawi.

Thanks to a generous response to its appeal in the Haslemere Herald for old sewing machines, 20 assorted models are being put to good use in Zomba.

The centre offers a recycling service for IT equipment and the consignment to Malawi overseen by UK charity The Sparkle Foundation, included laptops and mobile phones, refurbished free of charge by Microsoft.

Trustee Antonia Plant said: “My daughter volunteered at a rural school in Malawi, where subsistence living is the norm and employment is hard to come by.

“We thought that teaching the ladies tailoring skills would enable them to earn a living and make clothes for their families.

“We could never have predicted how successful the appeal would be or how heavy those old fashioned sewing machines are.

“So many donors told me they were delighted to give their machines to such a good cause.”

Centre manager Pauline Colcutt added: “We have been sent wonderful colourful photos and videos of our old machines being polished and commissioned in their new homes by the Malawian ladies.

“We wish them all well with this new project and are glad that our recycling scheme continues to be so successful.”