PEOPLE from Sale, Altrincham, Urmston, Timperley and Wythenshawe have donated more than 5,000 items of ladies and children’s underwear, baby clothes and children’s summer clothes for an appeal.

After a visit to The Gambia, Julie Leslie witnessed terrible poverty and was shocked to find that underwear is a luxury that is not easily available and many just cannot afford it.

When she came home she set up two charities ­— Smalls for All based in Scotland and Your Smalls from Leicester ­— to try and distribute new items of ladies underwear to African countries.

She said: “Ladies from Sale, Altrincham, Hale, Urmston, Timperley, Stretford and Wythenshawe regularly donate.

“It has been incredibly rewarding for me and I am totally overwhelmed by the generosity of local people who are happy to help and give encouragement.

“Every item makes a difference and every African lady who received donations asked me to pass on their sincere thanks.

“Every day I receive more items, some in the post and some people drop them off at my house.

“Each week I collect from the drop-off points and sort everything at my house.

“Recently I took donations of bras, pants and sanitary products to Your Smalls in Leicester and these have been shipped to schools.

“Later this month I am taking 2,500 bras to Smalls for All. I intend to collect all year round and will be travelling to The Gambia again in December. I have been overwhelmed by the response by people.

“I was shocked to find that many African girls miss school during their period because they don’t have the pants and sanitary products they need. This means it's harder for girls to fight their way of out poverty. Wearing a bra in Africa is life changing for African ladies it raises their status and they are more likely to find employment.”