A RETIRED head teacher committed to improving the lives of Rwandan schoolchildren received a special award from the departing prime minster.

Meg Fletcher said she was ‘honoured’ to be receive a Point of Lights award from Theresa May in one of her final acts as prime minister.

The former head of Vickerstown Primary School on Walney retired in 2005 and has spent her time since then travelling to the east African country to provide school education to 330 children a year, setting up the Kinamba Community Project.

The 73-year-old, from Baycliff said: “It’s great to be recognised for all the work I have done. I first thought I would only be out there for two years but I felt I had to keep coming back.”

More than 1,000 pupils have passed through school as part of the project.

“I’m really pleased at what we have managed to achieve and I want to thank everyone who has helped me along the way,” she said. “The driving aim behind my work is to give people the chance to be able to take control of their lives through access to education and hopefully gainful employment through the acquisition of new skills.”

Points of Light is a volunteering award given out by the prime minister.

Mrs May said in a letter: “Your dedication to improving education opportunities for children and adults in Rwanda is truly remarkable. By drawing on your experience as a teacher, your inspirational work providing free schooling and skills training is helping to transform the lives of hundreds of people, many of whom have been affected by the abhorrent events of the genocide 25 years ago.”