KIND-HEARTED Simon Wicks has returned to Swindon after spending a ‘life-changing’ week helping some of the world’s poorest people in Ethiopia.

Simon, 37, of Sparcells, travelled with the charity Ethiopiaid to the African nation, where he worked with children, orphans, the homeless and the sick at humanitarian projects.

Before the journey, he spent six months raising a total of £2,345 for Ethiopiaid through activities, including a quiz night, curry night, and bag-packing at Sainsbury’s.

He said: “Initially I just wanted to go for the new experience and to make a difference but what I found was it was life-changing because I came back wanting to carry on fundraising for them.”

Simon, a senior regional manager at Reed finance recruitment, stayed for seven days during November in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa with 22 other volunteers from the company.

He spent three days at Mother Theresa’s Missionaries of Charity – known as The House of Angels – which cares for orphans, disabled children, the sick and dying, and new mothers who have nowhere else to go.

Simon helped with everything from feeding disabled children and looking after orphaned babies, to hanging out the hundreds of nappies and items of clothing that the nuns have to hand-wash every day.

The father-of-three handed out donations of clothes and toys at two orphanages for children with HIV and three charity schools for youngsters whose families cannot afford state education.

During the trip, he also helped to feed hundreds of homeless people in soup kitchens.

Simon said: “This was a truly humbling week.

“The poverty and illness in the country is astounding, and I saw sights that reduced me to tears – including men in wards dying of Aids or tuberculosis, and severely disabled children whose parents didn’t want them.

“At the same time, it was a very rewarding experience. Going into schools and giving toys and colouring books to children who ordinarily have nothing, and seeing them laugh and smile, was amazing.”

Simon was so moved by the experience that he plans to continue fundraising for Ethiopiaid, tackling a sponsored cycle ride from London to Paris next spring or summer.

Donate to the charity at www.justgiving.com/Simon-4-Ethiopia.