Bognor woman helps to brighten the lives of others

Claire Watkins worked in Brazil with four other volunteers from the Christian relief charity Mission Direct.

They spent two weeks working in Curitiba, in the south of the country, where the Campo Largo area contains 31 slum areas.

They decorated two new homes by plastering, sanding, tiling and grouting, supervised by professionals, and helped a family move into one of them.

"It was humbling to see how much we have compared to other people," said Claire, 27, of Normanton Avenue. "I thought I already was aware of it, but coming face to face with poverty and need was something else.

"It can feel like the problem is too big, but then I remember that even one small thing can change someone's life and make it better.

"The couple were aged about 30 with three children, aged about 11, five and a baby. It was very rewarding helping them."

They had been threatened at gunpoint in their previous home which was in the middle of a district notorious for its drug dealing.

Legal secretary Claire is close to achieving her 1,000 fundraising target helped by her first entry into the Bognor Prom 10k which she completed in 49min 3sec.

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