A charity dedicated to helping indigenous people in North America is appealing for new members.

Feathers Network fundraises for native Indians working to establish and support community projects aimed at preserving their traditional culture.

The projects tackle social problems like suicide, unemployment and and civil rights.

Feathers became a charity last year and has published its first newsletter and is run by Graham McKean and pal Mark Estcourt.

It currently has up to 30 members mainly confined to the Colchester area with strong support in Basildon and a member in Cornwall.

The nerve centre is 24-year-old Mr McKean's Colchester home where, via e-mail, he keeps in touch with community projects the charity has helped funded and maintains contacts in the North America.

But why help a charity overseas ?

"International groups are not doing enough at the community level," Mr McKean explained.

"We are helping people and the environment as well as working to keep alive the language and culture of people who have been pushed under the carpet," he added.

Mr McKean, a former St Helena school pupil and ex-student at Colchester Sixth Form College, is originally from Scotland is all too aware of traditions dying out as the century races to a close.

He bemoans the loss of Gaelic which is only spoken in the far north of his homeland now and the loss of traditional Indian cultures.

"This is supposed to be the decade of the indigenous people but there is not much sign of it," he said.

Apart from fundraising through car boot sales and stalls at events in Colchester and Basildon, the charity also lobbies US federal and state governments to improve the rights of native people.

One live project is a petition to stop the "forced repatriation" of hundreds of Indians by February 2000 from land in Arizona, to make way for mining companies.

Last year members raised £800 towards the Sagakwa Native American Cultural Weekend and hope to contribute again this year.

Sponsored walks in Colchester and Basildon are planned at the end of the summer and the group hopes to do a 100-mile walk in New Hampshire next year.

The internet has been vital to getting the charity started and has helped establish contact with native pressure groups and community leaders in North America.

Feathers has its own website and had an encouraging 116 hits last month.

To get more people interested and recruit new members Feathers is holding a public meeting at Colchester Leisure World, Cowdray Avenue, on Saturday, August 28.

"We will be giving a presentation on what we do and asking people to join," said Mr McKean.

For more information call Graham McKean's voicemail on 07990 800053

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