Members of an award winning Bradford youth project are to reunite to help a community devastated by the Tsunami.

Nine members of the Youth Perceptions Project visited the Seychelles in 2000 on a youth exchange programme.

Now after seeing the devastation caused by the natural disaster, four former members of the group are to head back.

They will also be trying to raise about £15,000 in order to buy equipment such as computer hardware, chainsaws and gloves which can then be shipped over.

The group was set up in 1999 under the Government's high-profile Millennium Volunteers programme, which encourages volunteering amongst youngsters. The team focused on health and environmental issues in Bradford, spearheading a healthy eating campaigns which scooped an Award of Excellence in 2000.

The group disbanded in 2001 after members moved on to further education and training in youth work.

Now the Seychelles youth service is asking for help to recover after basic facilities were swept away in the Boxing Day tsunami.

Youth workers, Yasser Mujhid, 24, of Girlington, Anwar Qadir, 47, of West Bowling, Asif Khan, 24, of Manningham and Kabeer Boston, 24, of West Bowling, are planning to visit the island in the next five weeks. They will set up the equipment in schools and youth centres, help with clean-up operations and train four of the Island's youth brigades in volunteering and basic horticulture.

But their first task will be to collect funds around the city and approach companies and individual for donations for equipment to help the Seychelles community.

Former volunteer of Youth Perceptions Project, Asif Khan, said: "Everyone was shocked after the earthquake but we did not know what to do. When they contacted us from the Seychelles we knew what people wanted and knew how we could help. We made a lot of friends out there and the experience was life-changing. We want to do whatever we can to help.

"It's been a slow start but we are planning to step-up things now

and are appealing to everyone for donations."