The Beccles based charity The School for Peace had a double celebration on Friday last week marking the tenth year of the charity and passing the �100,000 milestone of money raised.

The School for Peace, in southern Congo, was built mostly for the children of refugee families who had to escape from their civil war over the last decade.

Regular supporters were joined by Beccles Mayor Brian Woodruff and Waveney MP Peter Aldous in the hall at St Benet's in Beccles.

Everyone was brought up to date with news of the school from the Sisters of St Joseph, a Congolese order of nuns who oversee the project.

�73,787 has been sent to Congo over the years to pay for the construction and running costs of the school.

'We have since raised a further �40,811 which is being used to extend the school with a new block of ten classrooms.

'As well as funding the buildings, the project makes sure the school is well equipped and we have a large group of sponsors who pay the education costs of 80 children whose families can't afford the school fees. In Congo there is little state funded education and one in three children have never stepped inside a school.

'An important feature of this charity is that nothing is deducted for any travel or expenses so give us a pound, a pound goes to the project,' said charity speokesman Ian Bauers.

Mr Aldous spoke to those present about the generosity of the people in this part of the UK supporting not just this charity but so many other worthwhile causes as well.

Two messages from Congo were read out, one from Sr. Rosine, the head teacher at the school thanking everyone for their support and another from the children being sponsored acknowledging their sincere gratitude for being given the gift of a good education.

The next fund-raising event is a presentation this evening by the East Anglian Film Archive.

They are showing old film about Beccles and the surrounding area. It takes place at 7pm in St Benet's Hall, Beccles. Tickets are available at the door.

For more information about the charity visit www.schoolforpeace.org or phone Mary on 01502 716960 or Ian on 01502 71406