A CHARITY that helps children in poverty-stricken countries praised a Weymouth man for being 'one of their most dedicated supporters'.

Christopher Gall, 58, of Lynch Lane, makes regular visits to India to visit two sponsored children and their communities that he has been supporting every month for 11 years.

He said: "I used to travel a lot with work and in my own time and I always got so much response from the locals in these poor countries that I wanted to give something back."

Mr Gall, a retired MoD scientist, has sponsored 14-year-old Chandini since she was three. In this time he has found that Chandini, her family and the community have hugely benefited from the money.

He said: "I've now been to visit Chandini seven times and I feel very attached to the family.

"They have a small mud hut in their under-developed village and this now has been extended so they can keep cattle so they can drink the milk. This for me is rewarding to see in a place where there is no electricity and no running water."

The first few times that Mr Gall visited the village of Nautantara, Orissa, the community welcomed him by putting on a traditional dance and in response he showed them how to morris dance.

He said: "It is quite funny because I used to be a morris dancer and when I showed the villagers they thought it was great. Word has spread and every time I go back to India more people want to join in and have a go."

A spokesman for ActionAid, Freya Paleit, said one of the reasons that sponsoring children abroad is so popular is that the supporters can see the difference that the money makes for the community.

Not only the child sponsored but also the whole community benefits from the £15 a month donated by sponsors.

ActionAid makes sure the money goes specifically to the area and individual tailored programmes and schemes focus on improving education and the infrastructure.

Miss Paleit added: "Christopher Gall from Weymouth is one of our most dedicated sponsors and people like this can make a difference."

The charity has been running for 35 years and it is currently celebrating its sponsorship programmes around the world which help more than 600 million children worldwide that live in extreme poverty.

Mr Gall also sponsors another child in India through another organisation plan, and another child in Nepal.