A HAMPSHIRE charity is calling on locals to donate pants for deprived schoolgirls in Uganda.

A team from Servedirect, a local charity that supports a school and health project in Uganda, is heading to the Wobelenzi Town Academy on November 19.

The group was shocked to discover that girls were missing school for four or five days every month as they did not have suitable underwear or sanitary kits to manage their period.

Girls who attend school regularly in Uganda are much more likely to complete secondary school, be able to provide an income for themselves and their families and to encourage their own children to stay in school.

As well as collecting new pairs of pants, the team is also fundraising to pay for educational support and training from a local charity in Uganda, Days for Girls.

This charity will supply fabric washable sanitary pads, funded by the Romsey team, and they will also teach girls how to sew the fabric pads for themselves.

To raise awareness, 12 walkers from Romsey and Waltham Chase climbed into their bright pink pants as they took part in the first ever ServeDirect Pantwalk, covering 16.6 miles.

Now the charity is asking locals to donate new pairs of pants for them to take on their trip to Uganda, leaving on November 19 – they should be dark, ladies size six to 16 and 100 per cent cotton. They can be left at the Romsey Advertiser Romsey Advertiser offices for collection, but must be washed before donation.

If you would also like to make a donation towards the cost of funding the washable sanitary pads, visit mydonate.bt.com/teams/sdugandateam2016.