A GOVERNMENT minister lent his support to an East Lancashire charity when he attended the official launch in London.

Ed Balls, secretary of state for children, schools, and families, was at the special event organised by Furniture for Education Worldwide, in the Attlee Room, Portcullis House, Westminster, yesterday.

Furniture for Education Worldwide, which is backed by Lancashire County Council, is the brainchild of Burnley county coun Terry Burns and Mike Tull, head teacher of Marsden Heights Community College, Nelson.

It provides schools in poverty-stricken countries such as Pakistan, Ghana, and Kenya, with unwanted furniture and equipment from Lancashire schools.

The pair set up the charity after visiting schools with-out tables and chairs on a trip to Pakistan.

Speaking ahead of the launch, County Coun Burns said: “I'm delighted the secretary of state will be attending our event.

“I'm hoping some other leading politicians will be there too.

“In schools we saw in Gujrat (Pakistan) the child-ren were keen. The teachers were dedicated.

“But a lack of equipment held them back. Youngsters sat on the floor – leaning on their bags to write.”

Over the next three years 14 East Lancashire schools will move into new buildings with purpose built equipment as part of the county council’s £250million Building Schools for the Future programme.

Their old furniture would have been sent to landfill sites but through the char-ity, it is being shipped to schools in Africa and Asia.

Coun Burns added: "It's re-cycling on a global scale.

"Local community groups will have first refusal but if they don't want the used equipment it will be shipped to Gujrat by container.

"Pendle's Pakistani community have paid to transport one load that is already being used.

"Now I am appealing for generous organisations and businesses to pay for more containers of furniture."