A grown-up gap year student from Hill Brow has urged to well-wishers to show their class as he’s making a poignant return to a rural Tanzanian school with his family.

Richard Clarke is no stranger to fundraising as he was just 18 when he gifted Suji High School with a second-hand Land Rover in 1993.

Now, more than 30 years on, he’s returning with his family to the mountainous village near Kilimanjaro with another appeal for help.

Mr Clarke and his family, who now live in Gran Canaria, want to equip the 400-student school with around 60 computers and 12 projectors as Suji High only has two laptops for teachers.

Financial support is requested to meet the cost of shipping, import taxes, computer cables, accessories and projector bulbs. The trip may be their last family holiday as one of Richard’s daughters is heading to university later this summer.

Howard Clarke Hill Brow Tanzania
Richard's dad, Howard Clarke - brother of former Petersfield mayor, Vaughan Clarke - and his wife, Sue, also visited Suji High School (Sue and Howard Clarke)

“The village is about 4,000 feet up and the school is basically as shed with windows,” said Richard’s mother, Sue, who still lives in Hill Brow.

“It would take some children two hours to get to school but with the Land Rover they could get picked up.

“Richard’s time there definitely gave him the travel bug and he’s been on trips with his family all over the place.

Suji High School Tanzania
The school has around 400 students but no computers (Suji High School)

“This year he decided to take his girls back to the Tanzania so he got in contact with the school and they remembered him – the Land Rover lasted 20 years.

“He asked them what they need and they said we have no real computers. They’re still panting the walls with blackboard paint so whiteboards and projectors are wanted.”

Donations can be made through https://shorturl.at/eq59g while anyone who would like to donate a laptop or projector should email [email protected]