Children at Cardinal Pole Catholic School, whose patron saint is Mother Theresa of Calcutta - who cared for leprosy sufferers in India - have raised £1,000 for young sufferers of the debilitating condition.

Hackney Gazette: Cardinale Pole schoolgirls Chelsie, left, Elif, Helin, Lloyda, and Jeanice receive some gifts for their effort in fundraising money for LEPRA charity.Cardinale Pole schoolgirls Chelsie, left, Elif, Helin, Lloyda, and Jeanice receive some gifts for their effort in fundraising money for LEPRA charity. (Image: Archant)

Year 7 and 9 pupils at Cardinal Pole Catholic School in Morning Lane organised sponsored events, cake sales, movie lunchtimes, five-a-side football tournaments and raffles to reach the impressive total.

Otherwise known as Hansen’s disease, leprosy bacteria cause skin lesions which if left untreated can cause permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes.

Contrary to folklore the disease does not cause body parts to fall off, but they may become numb or diseased as a result of secondary infections.

Tom Gunning, head of learning for Year 7 said: “The charity uses the money in many different ways but the students were really motivated to raise money for the reconstructive surgery for children who have lost limbs due to the illness .

“This costs £120 for each operation so we are happy that the money we have raised will directly impact on the lives of so many.”

The cheque for leprosy charity Lepra was handed over to a representative in assembly last week.

Although forced quarantine is unnecessary in places where adequate treatments are available, many leper colonies still remain around the world in countries like India where there are still more than 1,000 leper colonies.

In the past 20 years, 15 million people worldwide have been cured of leprosy.