Prime Minister Tony Blair and Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam have helped a Skipton man do his bit for peace.

Stuart Wroe is the project leader of an international scheme aimed at bringing together troubled communities in Northern Ireland by working with Catholic and Protestant youngsters living there. For the past two years Stuart, of Roughaw Road, has travelled to the site of World War I battlefields at Poperinge in Belgium, to take part in "reconciliation" workshops with people from all over Europe.

The Belgian town is the home of Talbot House (known as Toc-H to the military), a respite centre set up during the war for battle-weary soldiers.

As Skipton branch co-ordinator of Toc-H - a movement aimed at promoting worldwide reconciliation and denouncing prejudice - he has enlisted the aid of Mr Blair and Dr Mowlam to help him introduce youngsters from Northern Ireland to the Poperinge experience.

Stuart said: "Having had experience of international projects I got in touch with Tony Blair to suggest ideas. I later got a phone call from the director of the Northern Ireland Education Board. He said Mo Mowlam told him to give me a ring.''

Stuart's project will take place at Talbot House between July 17-24 next year. The Irish youngsters will make visits to cemeteries and battle sites, make presentations on peace and explore the causes of conflict and effects of reconciliation.

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