THE death of a young man from North Yorkshire has led his mother to set up an international charity to continue his pioneering work with needy Thai villages.

Penelope Worsley, who is the sister-in-law of Sir Marcus Worsley of Hovingham Hall and of the Duchess of Kent, has spent the past year setting up the Karen Hill Tribes Trust from her home in Heslington, which will work to provide drinkable water and education for remote villages in Thailand.

Her son, Richard was killed at the age of 24, in a road accident in Germany in 1996.

Richard spent six months working with the Karen people when he was 19 and helped build potable systems in the remote mountain villages and taught in the schools before going on to join the Light Dragoons.

Since his death, more than £100,000 has been raised to support the work and during the last year the Trust has set up its headquarters in York.

Now, Penelope, the director of the Karen Hill Tribes Trust, is in weekly contact with the Karen leader, Salahae, in the northern town of Khun Yuam in the Maehongson District of north west Thailand.

On October 8, Penelope is going there for three weeks to see the work and develop new projects. She will be staying with the Karen people in their stilted houses in the bamboo and teak jungle where there is no electricity.

Seventeen English volunteers have also been out to help, including five people to teach English in the primary and secondary schools

Penelope says: "The wonderful community atmosphere is something that leaves a lasting impression on all those who get involved. It is a privilege to be able to help and a very positive way to remember Richard.

"The young people who go out to volunteer find it so rewarding and a great experience.

"This is a small and effective International charity and we know exactly where every penny goes. We need to raise £20,000 by Christmas and will be so grateful for all donations, however small."

Since May, three villages now have new potable water systems benefiting 1,500 people in some of the remote mountainous areas of north west Thailand, near the Burmese border.

Children are being sponsored to school and the Trust is supporting the building of a dormitory to house school children who live too far away in the hills.

Where there is no clean drinking water, there are high levels of malaria and other water-borne diseases. Once the clean water systems are installed the levels of malaria drop dramatically.

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