YOUNG students were inspired to raise funds for a Nepalese childrens home after hearing one of their classmates planned to visit the country with his family. Year 7 pupils at Teesdale School in Barnard Castle filled pencil cases with stationery and letters and gave them to classmate Oliver Hamilton to take to a childrens home in Rokpa, Nepal.

The childrens home has limited supplies so students decided to make their own cases as well as raising money through sponsored runs, cake sales, computer game competitions and helping in the school kitchen.

Head of Year 7 Nicole Read, said: "I wanted this to be driven by the students.

"They needed to plan, organise and make up the pencil cases themselves under the guidance and support from their form tutors."

"I am so proud of the students. "They have worked very hard and have shown a fabulous amount of commitment to this project and the notes that they put in the pencil cases were very touching. They are a credit to our school."

Oliver, who travelled to Nepal with his family over Easter, said: "It was so good to see the children opening the pencil cases."