28830/3Bradford businessman Paul Skelton talks to Wiltshire Times reporter Jenny Haworth on how he was inspired to set up a children's charity in one of Europe's poorest nations

WHEN Paul Skelton took a break from running his successful construction business to travel the world, his eyes were opened to the millions of people living in the grip of poverty.

The 37-year-old from Huntingdon Place, Bradford on Avon, responded by setting up the charity, Robin Hood Ministries, in December 2002, and like a modern day version of the legend, he says his aim is to take from the rich and give to the poor.

But rather than stealing money he wants to reveal to individuals and businesses the plight of the impoverished, in the hope they can offer time or money to help combat the worldwide problem.

One of the charity's biggest success stories to date is providing funding for Joseph House a home set up to take in street children in Iasi, a town in the heart of north east Romania.

Set up by two members of a Romanian church in 1993, it had to close in 2002 due to lack of funding.

Now with Robin Hood's funding it has reopened and is

once again helping hundreds of children who would otherwise be on the street.

Mr Skelton said: "Four years ago I started to do some travelling to places you wouldn't normally go for the average package holiday, such as central America, Asia and Romania.

"When you have been to places like that you can do one of two things. You can either say that's terrible, next time I'll go to Lanzarote, or you can do the hard thing which is to get involved.

"I thought this was better than spending my life trying to earn money to have a big house and a big car and all the things you usually strive for.

"We sit here in our nice comfortable offices and it's only when you go to these places you start to understand that our way of life is not reality for many people."

Many of the children at the Romanian home are re-housed from the ghettos, where whole families live in a single room, often plagued by rats and coping without heat or proper drainage.

In Joseph House the children have toys to play with, brightly-lit rooms and are looked after round-the-clock by up to eight members of staff.

Another £500 a month would be enough to provide the food and wages needed to care for an extra 10 children.

Stuart Eaton, 56, of Meadowfield, Bradford on Avon, has been helping out with the charity for 18 months.

A former chartered accountant for the Ministry of Defence for 34 years, he took early retirement and became involved in the charity after he seeing Mr Skelton's presentation in Coombe Down's Holy Trinity Church.

He said: "I found the presentation quite harrowing, irresistible and I really wanted to respond to it.

"Even though we see all the horrors of the planet in the media all the time there was something in my brain that said there was an opportunity here to make a difference.

"It was just like a magnetic attraction and I went up to Paul afterwards and said 'I'm with you'."

Mr Skelton believes an important part of the work of the charity is taking people to Romania to see the disturbing sights firsthand.

"If you actually go somewhere you smell it and you see it and it doesn't go away," he said.

Volunteers pay £400 for a long weekend in Romania, which includes travel and accommodation.

Robin Hood Ministries is also funding projects in Tanzania and Uganda.

The charity is keen to give presentations to local companies. Call Rob Eaton on (01225) 869325.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Take part in a weekend visit to the Romanian ghettos and Joseph House in Iasi

Make a financial donation

Donate an item to an Auction of Promises, to be held in May

Subscribe to Robin Hood Ministries' e-newsletter

Invite Robin Hood Ministries to give a presentation at your company

Give the charity your company's used printer cartridges, which can be recycled for up to £3 each

For further details go to www.robinhoodministries.org or phone (01225) 869325