JAMS and marmalade have been sold in an art gallery in Clun to help farmers in one of the most deprived parts of the world.

Ruth Mapes, who made the preserves, and Tim Wood, who owns the Old Surgery Gallery, combined to raise funds for the Joliba Trust.

The trust supports grass roots development work with people who raise cattle and farm in some of the most marginal areas of the east African country.

Taking its name from what the local people call the River Niger, the Joliba Trust has been active since 1984 and works in more than 200 villages.

Mali is the size of France and Spain combined making it the largest country in West Africa but it borders the Sahara Desert and is largely arid plains.

It is one of the poorest countries in the world with most people scraping a living from farming and cattle herding.