Students prepare for mission to Thailand

Girls on a mission

Twelve sixth form students from St Joseph's Catholic High School in Slough, Berkshire, are preparing to visit Thailand early next year to help out at a variety of projects supported by Thai Children's Trust, a UK-based charity that for over 30 years has helped disadvantaged and disabled children in Thailand.

Their visit will take them to the resort town of Pattaya - some two hours' drive south east of Bangkok - where they will be helping the charity's partner, the Father Ray Foundation, which takes care of 850 orphaned, abused and disadvantaged children and students with disabilities. They will see at first hand the love and care that goes into projects such as the Day Care Centre, the Children's Home, the School for the Blind and the Centre for Special Needs.

The initiative has been spear-headed by the head of the sixth form, Rhian Morgans, who hopes this first visit will become an annual event for the school. She started taking pupils to Thailand four years ago at her previous teaching job and knows the impact it can have on the students.

Firstly, though, each of the students has to raise money which will go towards the trip costs. So far the group has raised approximately £3,000 of their £12,000 target through the organisation of a local summer fete, offering beauty treatments such as nail care, cake sales, competitions and holding a school disco. Planned for the autumn term are dinner nights, pub quizzes and students taking part in individual sporting events.

Rhian Morgans said: "It's a real cultural insight and will open our students' eyes to the hardship of other children. I think it is important that they see how lucky we are in comparison. I believe they will get an enormous amount out of it and enjoy seeing how they can make a difference. It is hard not to bond with these children and the experience will stay with them forever.

Donations can be made by contacting Miss Morgans on T. 01753 524713 or emailing r.morgans@st-josephs.slough.sch.uk

Read more about the Thai Childrens Trust here: www.thaichildrenstrust.org.uk