Inspector Steve Young, of Stockton Neighbourhood Police to travel to Gambia (From The Northern Echo)

Inspector Steve Young, of Stockton Neighbourhood Police to travel to Gambia

8:56am Friday 5th February 2010 in

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A POLICE inspector is embarking on a mission to Gambia – 20 years after carrying out charity work in the country.

Inspector Steve Young, of Stockton Neighbourhood Police, will travel to Gambia later this month to see how volunteers change the lives of people living there.

Insp Young spent eight months in the country, in 1990, before joining Cleveland Police.

Having grown up in Africa, he chose to return to the country to work with his parents, who were missionaries on a joint agricultural and medical project, in the tiny village of Bikrama.

During his time in Gambia, he treated babies and young people suffering from malnutrition and delivered health education talks and immunisation programmes.

He said: “I saw first hand the devastating consequences that illness and malnutrition could bestow on those unfortunate enough to not receive medical attention in time. Some people walked 30 miles just to try to get the treatment they so urgently needed.”

In addition, he has helped his father build churches and wells and pumps to provide a clean supply of water.

He said: “The work my father carried out was so important to him and the time I spent in Gambia was life changing.

“My father sadly passed away two years ago and in homage to him, and at a 20-year milestone I have decided to return to Bikrama to see how things have developed during the time I have been gone.”