AN AWARD-WINNING dental nurse from Helensburgh set off to Malawi this week on a second charity mission to improve dental care in the African country.

Chloe Gall is working as a volunteer with the Smileawi charity, set up by two dentists in Dunoon, which has organised annual trips to Malawi every year since 2012.

Chloe, who works at the Clyde View Dental Practice in Helensburgh, set off on her mission bearing a gift from Ardencaple Football Club, who donated a selection of strips to be distributed to children in the villages where Chloe is working.

Prior to setting off, Chloe, who undertook a similar volunteering mission with Smileawi in 2017, said: “This really is a life-changing experience and I am so looking forward to travelling around lots of villages that have next to nothing never mind any sort of dental service.

“Ardencaple FC has been so kind to donate all these football strips, which I am sure will put a very big smile on a lot of faces. I can’t thank Caple enough for its support and generosity.”

Earlier this year Chloe, who qualified as a dental nurse two and a half years ago, won the ‘community award’ at the Scottish Dental Awards ceremony in Glasgow along with her colleague Ciara Dunleavy, while another workmate, Lara Paterson, was named Young Dentist of the Year.

Local painter and decorator and Ardencaple FC sponsor Tony Francis was so moved by Chloe’s story that he introduced her to Caple chairman Craig Holborn and arranged for Caple to donate football kit to the cause.

Tony commented: “Caple do such a great job in our local community and I had no hesitation in asking Craig and the club to get involved.

“They went out of their way to support Chloe and the Smileawi initiative.”