Colorful handbags made from recycled plastic bags and bowls created from tobacco packets and pilchard labels are helping in the battle against Aids.

Intricate pieces of art, flowers, animals and hand-decorated light bulbs have all been painstakingly created from unwanted materials by HIV positive women in South Africa.

Now a woman from Brighton is joining their fight by helping to promote the unusual work of the African organisations, Glynis Delaney, who moved to England from Cape Town two years ago, is importing their products in a bid to help those living in the shadows of the disease.

A company called Kunye - Joining Hands to Work Together helps HIV positive women produce beautifully intricate work from recycled plastic.

Another group called Wola Nani recycles tobacco packets and pilchard labels to make papier-mache bowls and hand-decorated light bulbs.

Ms Delaney is also importing the work of Mums To Mums To Be (m2m2b), which produces beaded work such as mobile phone pouches and lanyards.

This organisation encourages HIV positive mothers who recently gave birth to return to their antenatal clinics to provide education, guidance and emotional support to recently diagnosed HIV positive pregnant mothers.

A group called Hands produces one-off jewellery and handbag pieces using a new technique, which involves a combination of weaving copper wire with macrame, crochet, needlework and beading.

Examples of all the work is on display at Retail Therapy in Gloucester Road and is being sold for between £4 to £19.50.

Ms Delaney is hoping more Brighton businesses will step in to support the groups.

She said: "South African women are not looking for charity or handouts but want the chance to become self-empowered.

"These groups allow the women to do just that and the quality of the goods they produce is superb. The artists who make them are very proud to see British people wanting to buy their work."

Ms Delaney, 52, of Brunswick Place, Hove, said the money raised from selling the work would help the HIV positive women whose artistic talent produces the crafts.

She said: "The South African government's attitude to HIV and Aids has really turned round in recent years and there are now quite a lot of groups working in this way. But these people still need all the help they can get.

"My main goal is to get some corporations involved with importing the goods. I would also like to hold a big exhibition somewhere in Brighton to mark World Aids Day on December 1 this year."

For more details, call Ms Delaney on 01273 719354.