BLESSED Edward Oldcorne Catholic College was set to welcome a special visitor today.

The school is hosting Father Lawrence Patin, director of the Pattaya Orphanage in Pattaya, Thailand, to pay special tribute to the school's outstanding support.

The orphanage, 80 miles south of Bangkok, provides a home and education for 180 orphaned and abandoned children and babies, up to 200 street children, and 220 socially disadvantaged deaf or blind children.

It also runs the Vocational School for the Disabled, helping more than 200 young disabled people learn skills and gain qualifications to help them start an independent life.

In May this year, a group of 14 Year 10 students and deputy principal Mary Amphlett gave up their half-term to travel to Thailand to volunteer at the orphanage and its associated projects. The group took part in activities with the youngsters, played games with children at the Street Kids Home and helped teach English to the students at the orphanage's Vocational School for the Disabled.

The trip was paid for entirely by students and their families.

The college has also taken part in a variety of activities to raise funds for the orphanage, and last year donated a wheelchair to Mekee, a resident of the orphanage who lost both legs when he stepped on a landmine at the age of seven.

Sean Devlin, principal of Blessed Edward, said: "The college is really proud to be involved in this tremendous initiative in Thailand.

"Our pupils have said the experience is mind-changing. I think it is wonderful that parents and pupils can be so generous."

Father Patin is joined on the visit by Father Giovanni Contarin, director of the Camililan Social Centre in Rayong, which cares for HIV positive children orphaned by Aids, and is supported by the Pattaya Orphanage.