A WEE COUNTY fundraising machine has decided it's about time to set up his very own charity to help the less fortunate in Africa.

Gary Drummond, who has been raising money for causes both close to home and further afield, is in the process of registering Drummond Charity Works Africa and will be needing volunteers to help out any way they can.

The Alloa man, who has an interest in the medical field, has been visiting Ghana and Tanzania in previous years as a volunteer, using money he could have spent on relaxing holidays.

He is looking to help people in need of surgery and medication as well as infrastructure and much more.

Gary, cooper by day with Diageo at Cambus and life-saver with Forth Valley First Responders, is hoping Clacks residents will get behind his work.

He told the Advertiser: “I've seen the hospitals out there and the people who couldn't afford simple healthcare.

“I started helping out just by buying medication and giving them money to go and see the doctor.”

It all started with a trip last year which changed everything for the local man.

Gary added: “The four weeks I was over in Ghana; it pretty much changed the way I see everything. I thought: I'm gonna cut down on the charity work I do over here and focus it over there.

“The need is a lot greater over there.”

Gary is just back from another self-paid three-week trip to Tanzania where he was volunteering at a hospital and coming face to face with patients desperate for help.

He now needs a couple of volunteers to help start netting some cash by giving a hand at car-boot sales and other events and by organising collections.

He said: “All of my trips, accommodation, everything – I pay it out of my own pocket so every single penny that goes into the charity is going where it is needed. No one is paid.”

Gary's recent charity work has been well-documented in the Advertiser in recent months.

He has bankrolled surgery for a little Ghanaian girl who suffered horrific burns around her body, collected toys and books for youngsters in Tanzania, and started building a toilet block at a school, to name a few.

And he has already started laying the groundworks down with two unpaid volunteers each in the two countries.

Gary, who is looking at what the charity can do on a case-by-case basis, said: “I'm hoping to get steady money in so I can look at more than one or two causes at the same time.

“I've got Tanzania and Ghana at the moment. Next year it's Madagascar and Ethiopia and, hopefully, the year after that will be Togo.

“I'm kind of branching out, hopefully get volunteers in as many places as I can.”

Those able to help Gary can email gdfundraising@outlook.com or check out Drummond Charity Works on Facebook.