TEACHER Dan Wright has packed in his day job to help join the fight against Ebola in Liberia.

Mr Wright, from Kingsdown in Corsham, left for the country last Saturday and is working with charity Plan International to help raise funds to tackle the epidemic.

He will be spending three to six months in its communication department as an information manager after leaving his job teaching maths and physics at King Edwards School in Bath.

His interest in charity work was first sparked by nun Sister Stella, who was a teacher at his primary school St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Corsham, and spoke of her trips to Zambia where she helped the local community.

The 36-year-old began his career as an investment banker in London but when he felt he was not making any change to the world he decided to become a teacher. He spent four months teaching in Western Kenya at a secondary school, which changed his view of the world.

After undertaking a Master’s degree in international development, Mr Wright says he is passionate about helping countries in poverty, he said: “I’ve forged a career in charity work and it should be a career, not just something you do for two weeks.

“The Ebola crisis is a product of people living in extreme poverty, struggling with a weak public health system and poor literacy levels.

“The 15,000 cases are almost all in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone and about 7,000 of these cases were in Liberia, the most affected country.

“There are a lot of perceptions – people seem to think we will get Ebola as soon as we step into the country, but I am not a doctor or nurse working on the frontline.

“The perceived risk is low and I am not exposed. We will have our temperatures taken every morning and lunch and every time we go out. The reality is if someone has a temperature over 38 degrees, it is something else like flu or malaria.”

To donate to the Ebola Appeal, go online to plan-uk.org/ebola