A FAMOUS actor, presenter and writer will be appealing for people to support a Backwell charity on a Radio 4 show tomorrow (Thurs).

Michael Palin will be talking about the work of Motivation, which improves the lives of people with disabilities, to raise the profile of the charity.

He has been a supporter of Motivation, which is based in Brockley Lane, for many years and this is the second time he will have presented on behalf of the charity on the Radio 4 Charity Appeal. His first attempt in 2008 raised �40,000, which enabled Motivation to set up projects in Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Sudan, Pakistan and Uganda.

This time Palin will tell the story of Iris, a young girl in Uganda who, aged 12, fell from a mango tree and broke her neck. She spent months in hospital battling life-threatening pressure sores and when she eventually returned to her family, she was confined to her house.

But thanks to a wheelchair and training from Motivation, Iris is now a bright, happy teenager going to school and planning for the future.

The appeal will be broadcast at 3.27pm tomorrow.