A former Keighley man has travelled to Uganda to see the work being done by a charity.

Dave McGlinchey is among a dozen water company representatives from across the UK taking part in the fortnight-long trip.

They are witnessing first-hand how international charity WaterAid is helping to transform people’s lives in some of the world’s poorest countries by providing clean water and sanitation.

Dave, a management accountant with Yorkshire Water, is visiting the rural village of Masindi to experience the hardships people face on a daily basis.

And he is travelling to a second village already benefiting from WaterAid’s efforts where he and his colleagues will help with a project to build latrines.

Dave lived in the Keighley area until he was in his 20s and his parents and sister still live at Riddlesden.

He was a pupil at Our Lady of Victories Primary School and Holy Family School.

Speaking before his departure at the weekend, Dave — who chairs the regional WaterAid committee — said: “I have been very impressed by WaterAid’s commitment to enabling people to help themselves in improving their water supply and sanitation and being invited to see this work in action is a great privilege.

“As more and more people are leaving rural areas the pressures on cities throughout the world are immense.

“On our visit we will also be visiting city slums to see how the sheer volume of people makes the need for decent toilet facilities all the more important.

“At 48 years old I have already reached the life expectancy of a man in Uganda — that really does make you think.”

Forty per cent of Uganda’s 26-million-or-so population doesn’t have access to clean water and for 57 per cent of people there is no safe toilet provision.

WaterAid has worked in the country for 25 years and helped more than 920,000 people.

Yorkshire Water employees and pensioners have supported the charity through various events, payroll giving and a lottery. This year alone, their efforts have raised more than £300,000.

For further information about WaterAid visit the website wateraid.org/uk.