IT'S difficult not to be infected by the economic worries and fears of recession in this country.

Following the Northern Rock crisis we are told house prices are going down for the first time in many years, mortgages are becoming more difficult and there are fears of a slowdown in High Street consumer spending because people are fearful of what lies ahead.

But however tough we think things may be for us, it's worth getting matters in perspective.And that's precisely what pupils at Westholme School, Blackburn, did when they heard about the people of a Kenyan village who needed a simple boat so they could catch the fish they need to keep mums, dads and children alive.

A visiting priest told Year 10 girls how hot, dry conditions had ruined crops and killed cattle, leaving fish as their only hope for the future.

The students arranged a cinema night and raised £700 for the fishing boat, which will be named Westholme and hopefully help feed the whole community.

What a change from all the bad news we seem to read about teenagers.

And what an example to the rest of us of what we could be doing to help those who are, on any measure, much, much worse off than ourselves.