A MOTLEY crew of men in skirts and women in school uniform descended on Hainault Forest in aid of charity.

About 20 students and staff from Redbridge College braved the cold as they took part in their annual sponsored Walk Without Trousers last Friday.

And thanks to their efforts, the trouserless fundraisers raised about £325 towards helping needy youngsters.

The money has been raised for the college students to go to Romania and deliver aid to hundreds of children suffering from HIV or AIDS.

The visit to Romania is a gruelling 4,000-mile trip, usually undertaken by six students and staff for two weeks during the summer holidays.

Other fundraising events have already been held. These have included sponsored skydives, bike rides and bungee jumps.

When the students leave for Romania next August, they hope to take thousands of pounds worth of aid with them, in the form of soap, basic medicines, bedding, clothes, toys, shoes, paper and pens all desperately needed.

Alan Kipping, youth tutor at the college who set up the project in 1993 and has worked on it every year since, said: "We could of course just package up the goods and send them in a container, but by taking them over ourselves, we have given over 20 students and staff the chance to make a difference, to stand up and be counted and do something positive towards helping others.

"It has also helped us to change the perception of HIV and AIDS within the college."