TWO Wellington youngsters planning to volunteer at orphanage schools in Kenya next year are busy fundraising for the trip.

Bethany Garrett and Andrew Hyman, both 17, will be part of a group of about 32 Young Leader Scouts and Network Scouts aged 14 to 24 from Somerset and Devon, along with supporting adults. They will be volunteering in two orphanage schools near Lake Nakuru on the ten-day trip planned for August 2019.

Bethany and Andrew said: "We will be working in Melon Mission and Silver Bells schools offering help with things like simple class teaching, low-level building work, planning activities with children, painting the new classrooms and any other project or activity the schools wish us to bepart of.

"This is going to be a life-changing experience for everyone involved. Our simple aim is to help the schools. Without the volunteer groups which visit the schools they would not survive and the children would be left to walk the countryside of Kenya or travel to the big cities to survive on the street."

The youngsters help out with 1st Wellington Cubs and also attend Phoenix Explorer Scouts.

They are running a bingo night at 1st Wellington Scout Hall on Friday, June 8 - eyes down 7.30pm - to help with fundraising. Eight games will be played with meat prizes from Tim Potter family butcher in Fore Street and a raffle and refreshments.

Bethany and Andrew have also bag-packed at Marks & Spencer with a few other Scouts also going on the trip.

Anyone with suggestions about how they can raise more funds for the trip and the orphanage is asked to contact them on 01823 680641.