A group of people who attend churches in the Isle of Man have been to India to see the work of a charity at a school.

Ray Richardson and Sue Richardson, of the Grace Baptist Church, and James Caley and John Seaman from the Bethel Church in Ramsey were among a number of people from elsewhere in the world who went to see the work of the Grace Third World Fund near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, India.

The main feature of the charity is the Grace Children’s Home, an orphanage that accommodates 105 children.

The Kings Ideal School, which is run on Christian principles, was integrated into the lower floor of the Grace Children’s Home about six years ago to provide not only a children’s home but also a school of more than 600 students, many of whom come from surrounding village as well as the home.

The three-storey building that has been developed by the charity near Atchutapuram, about one and a half hours’ drive south of Visakhapatnam.

The work of the charity began in 1997 by providing medical care to disabled children and this work developed into providing a home for homeless orphans.

A home was finished and opened in 2001.

The original home buildings have been expanded and in turn the children have been provided not only with a safe and secure home but also with good food, clothing and an education.

Extra buildings were provided for staff and support workers.

Specialist training has been provided for older children to learn skills to earn a living.

The school is an ’English medium one’, which means the curriculum is taught in English.

It has been approved and registered by the Indian education authorities.

During the visit the visiting group also witnessed the ’breaking ground’ ceremony to inaugurate a school building, which will be built on land within the eight acres of the site opposite the existing orphanage/school building.