The school has donated the books to help with a missionary project in villages in the Ramu region of PNG, coordinated by local councillor Brian O’Hare.

While St Mary’s librarian, Libby Marshall prepares for a move into the school’s newly-built library later this year, she has prepared hundreds of surplus books for PNG schools which have very few resources.

Mr O’Hare said he was shocked when he visited the region last year at the lack of resources, particularly books, available to teachers and schools.

His church was in the region providing sewing and craft classes to local women and children and had originally intended to create a library for local pastors.

Responding to a need in the community, the idea had expanded to incorporate teachers and schools.

“We took some school resources last year but we really thought they needed a lot more,” Mr O’Hare said. “The village schools have virtually nothing.”

St Mary’s principal Andrew Colley said the school was delighted to be able to contribute books that would be of great benefit to children and teachers in PNG.

Mr O’Hare and parishioners at the Seventh Day Adventist Church have been collecting books, stationery and teaching resources to fill a sea container to be shipped as soon as enough money can be raised to meet shipping costs. The community had been very generous in its support, with various groups donating money to help meet the cost of freight, he said.

His church has also been bottling and selling apple juice.

Mr O’Hare has packed his tools and is in Papua New Guinea this month to fix sewing machines and to train others how to repair the machines.