The Rev Paul Knight and his wife Annette will be flying to the Latin American country at the weekend, taking with them £1,200 and a supply of pens, pencils, sharpeners, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Mr Knight said the money had been raised by the congregation of St Peter's Church in Kirkgate and the children at St Peter's School in Fieldhead Lane, who raised £180 in a non-school uniform day.

In 2002 the couple visited the Dominican Republic, and, moved by the level of need of the children, decided to do what they could to help.

They became involved with two charities – the Mustard Seed Orphanage for mentally and physically disabled children, and the DREAM project, which provides schools to help educate children, giving them an opportunity to work their way out of poverty.

Mr Knight said he would be giving £700 to the Mustard Seed orphanage for an oxygen tank to aid a young girl, Marolis, and a commercial liquidiser. The rest of the money will be donated to the DREAM project schools.

He added: "It is such a privilege to be able to help these children who have so little. We are so grateful to those who have given to make this possible."

Mr Knight is also a director of Beyond the Beach Children's Foundation, a web-based charity which encourages holiday-makers to the Dominican Republic to help the local children.