TIRELESS charity worker Teba Diatta has launched a new drive to raise £100,000 to help impoverished people in Senegal - and she's hoping the Spice Girls will lend their support.

Teba, 26, of Acomb, York, is trying to get a photo taken of her with the iconic girl band in Manchester next weekend as part of a fundraising challenge to meet 100 celebrities.

She said today her Running For Life charity had already won the support of footballers Patrick Vieira and David Beckham, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prince William, The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and pop group Girls Aloud.

She revealed the school where she works, Millthorpe, has also raised almost £1,000 for the appeal with a non-uniform day in March set to raise a further £1,000.

"The school is now twinned with Oussouye School, in Senegal," she said.

"Pupils from both schools will be swapping letters and setting up an online video diary. I am currently setting up the scheme and will be returning to Senegal in March to oversee the building of an education centre."

The Press has reported previously how Teba wanted to build the educational resource centre in the impoverished Senegalese village where many of her relatives live.

She said: "Running For Life has raised over £17,000 to date. We are launching a massive new campaign this year called Challenge 1000. The aim is to host 100 amazing events and raise £1,000 for each event. Events can be done in groups or individually.

"The idea is people volunteer to take part in a challenge of their choice; any money raised will go towards the £1,000 sub-total for that event. It doesn't matter how little or much is made as there will be opportunity to pledge a target amount.

"So far, some of the challenges include sky-diving, bungee jumping, running a marathon, a half marathon, a 10K/5K run, climbing the Three Peaks, climbing the highest mountain in your country, getting a walk-on part in a soap, recruiting celebrities, a celebrity auction, selling 1,000 greetings cards, hosting a themed party/ball, organising a gig/concert and hosting a non-uniform day at your place of work or school.

"My project is officially linked with YOWLA - York One World Linking Association - an organisation and registered charity that links projects such as mine with communities in the developing world."