A RESPECTED member of the Karen hill tribes, in Thailand, has arrived in York to meet volunteers at a charity set up to help his people.

The tribesman, Salahae, has worked closely with Penelope Worsley, who is the sister-in-law of Sir Marcus Worsley of Hovingham Hall and of the Duchess of Kent, since she started the Karen Hill Tribes Trust at her home in Heslington, York.

She launched the trust in memory of her son, Richard, 24, who had worked with the Karen people as a teenager, but was tragically killed in a road accident in Germany in 1996.

The work of the charity continues as strongly as ever with a team of 30 volunteers currently training for their first visit to Thailand next year.

They will be helping to install clean water systems and improve education in the remote Thai villages.

Now Salahae, who works as project leader with the Trust, is looking forward to sharing his local knowledge with the volunteers.

Last night he spoke to a group of people in Holgate about the work of the Trust in the hope of encouraging more people to help.

And next Tuesday he will be speaking at Bishopthorpe Church Hall from 7pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Salahae said: "I have come to say thank you to everybody who has helped the Karen people in the past, now and maybe in the future. I also want to thank very much the people of York who want to find out about the Karen people.

"I need to meet as many people as possible so I feel very happy to have come to England."

Penelope Worsley said it was a great honour to play host to Salahae and would be good experience for the new volunteers.

She added: "It will give them a wonderful insight into what they are going to do and they will have the opportunity to hear the language and learn a bit about the people that they are going work with.

"The villagers love Salahae and very much respect his knowledge and understanding and his commitment to his own people.

"Salahae has come to talk to English people to encourage them to help the trust and say how grateful he is for their help."

For more information you can telephone the Trust on 01904 411891 or log on to the website www.karenhilltribes.org.uk

Updated: 13:00 Wednesday, September 19, 2001