THE final batch of school uniforms from St Mary’s School in Calne has arrived at a Kenyan school near Nakuru.

Over 300 uniforms have been delivered to school, which has 98 pupils with many families earning less than $1 a day, over the past five years.

The deliveries haven’t been without their difficulties though, with former St Mary’s teacher Vaughn Malcolm and friend Nigel Linacre unable to get the uniforms through customs in bulk.

Instead Mr Linacre, who runs a number of projects in Kenya, and others have been taking them in individual suitcases since 2010 and have finally delivered the last tranche to the school.

Mr Linacre, whose daughter attended St Mary’s School in the 1990s, said: “On only one occasion was I stopped by Kenyan Customs, which resulted in an extensive on-the-spot negotiation.”

Prior to his leaving the school, Mr Malcolm, passed new but out-of-date St Mary’s school uniforms to his friend Mr Linacre, who co-founded water charity WellBoring.

The uniforms had been promised to the Neighbourhood School in Engoshura, near Nakuru about three hours north of Nairobi.

A school spokesman said: “We are delighted that the school uniforms have been put to such good use in Kenya and amazed at Nigel and Vaughn’s determination and dedication - persisting over five years to ensure that all the uniforms reached the school.”