Peter Reid, secretary and founder member of the Plymouth Ghana Link, said: “The Link has been an inspiration to many – to teachers, students, nurses, surgeons, sports people and others interested in a wonderful developing country.”

Ghana Week starts on the weekend of July 3 and 4, to coincide with the Blue Mile and the Corporate Games, and ends with the Plymouth Under-Age Festival on July 10.

The Plymouth-Ghana Link will also be represented at the city’s Respect Festival in October 2010, and Global Entrepreneurship Week in November 2010.

Ghana Week is being officially launched on Monday, April 12, when the Lord Mayor of Plymouth welcomes the honourable Yakubu Alhassan, the Bolgatanga municipal coordinating director to the city.

Mr Alhassan will be accompanying 15 youth workers from Bolgatanga who are taking part in an exchange program.

The welcome event will include performances by Plymouth Music Zone and Streetbeatz.

A new web site will also be launched on April 12 to showcase the activities of the Link as well as providing project updates, a schedule of events, and details of how schools, faith groups, businesses, and sporting institutions etc can get involved.

Elaine Budd, coordinator of the inaugural Ghana Week, said: “I have been astonished by the amazing work undertaken through the Link, and Ghana Week is an opportunity to put a spotlight on that work and highlight how others can get involved.”