IT’S not every day you see Father Christmas and a gorilla abseiling.

But that was the strange sight greeting onlookers at Weymouth Fire Station after teachers from a nearby school took on a challenge ascending from the building’s tower in fancy dress.

It was the idea of Conifers Primary School teacher Laura Wilson who wanted to organise a wacky fundraiser to support a forthcoming trip to Kenya where digital links will be developed with a school in the Chogoria region.

The British Council is financing most of the trip but funds which are raised by the school can be spent on extra resources to take over including memory sticks, cameras and a laptop.

Laura, who abseiled dressed as a gorilla with teacher Karen Power dressed as Santa, said they undertook the challenge in costumes that received the highest number of votes from children and supporters.

Costumes were donated by Tom and Erin’s shop on the seafront.

There was also a ‘teddy zipwire’ competition for the children to enter with great prizes donated by The Shirtshack, Argos and Shakydog.

Laura, who is Conifers’ interntional co-ordinator, said of the Kenya trip in February: “We will be working with the teachers and children in Katharaka primary school to develop links with Conifers and begin the process of setting up internet in their school so that the children in both schools can communicate easily with each other and work on collaborative projects.

“The long term aim of the partnership is to develop a global dimension in the creative curriculum at Conifers that will help the children to become successful global citizens.”

If you want to support the project see the website www.gogetfunding.com/project/kenya-2014.