Plaque unveiled to Essex medical student

A MEMORIAL plaque will be unveiled in an African village today in memory of a young medical student from Essex.

Catherine Bullen of West Mersea had been travelling with a fellow undergraduate in Namibia before she was due to start work placements in August 2002.

But the 22-year-old was struck down with a virulent strain of gastro enteritis during a trip to view wildlife in a national park.

Despite brave and valiant efforts of her friend to save her, the former Colchester High School for Girls pupil died in Oshivelonear EtoshaNational Park.

After her tragic death Miss Bullen's family started a memorial fund for the Bristol University undergraduate, raising about £7,000.

Today'sunveiling will also mark the completion of the water project financed by the Catherine Bullen Memorial Fund and overseen by a development agency.

The £6,000 scheme will provide fresh water for a local primary school and hostel in the Omaheke region by equipping a borehole that had not been in use.

Previously the school and the village had shared one borehole and it was not uncommon for people to be without fresh water for up to two days at a time.

Her father, Roger, said: "I think Catherine would have been pleased. She was training to be a doctor and trying to improve people's quality of life and this is doing that."

The family went out to Africa last November to meet school staff and governors and development agency and to visit where Catherine died.

They will be represented at the ceremony by the British vice consul and intend to return to Namibia in autumn 2005 to see how the school has improved.

The trustees of the memorial fund hope to continue funding projects linked with the school and similar ones in Namibia.

Anyone wishing to make donations should send them to Catherine Bullen Memorial Fund, c/o Barclays Bank, Yorick Road, West Mersea, Essex, CO5 8HX.