A DARLINGTON woman will leap from a plane this weekend in a bid to improve sexual health in Swaziland.

Kirri Fridd, 24, will take part in a charity skydive on Sunday to raise funds for RAID, an independent North-East charity working to raise awareness of sexual health in young people.

Darlington-based RAID uses young volunteers to deliver sessions in schools and provide advice for peers on matters around sexual health.

The volunteers also work closely with the Good Shepherd High School in Siteki, Swaziland, to share ideas and improve matters for youngsters living in a country with high rates of HIV and little by way of sex education.

Miss Fridd joined other volunteers in a visit to the school last year and now hopes to raise around £10,000 to bring a group of its pupils on an exchange to England.

She said: “The trip was really eye-opening as things are very different there. It was a culture shock and totally changed my life.

“The children were so thankful for us being there to help them and now I want to put everything into this charity.

“We want to bring them over here to see what it is like here and what services we have to deal with things so they can go back and press for changes like better access to HIV testing.”

For more information or to volunteer with the charity, visit raid-tv.org or email raidtv@yahoo.co.uk. Paypal donations can be made using the same email address.

The skydive will take place at Skydive St George, based at Durham Tees Valley Airport.