Duo's £5,000 fundraising effort after being selected for Girlguiding North East adventure to Thailand

TWO teenagers from Toft Hill are hoping to raise £5,000 to help educate Thai girlguides about self-worth during a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Gracie Smyth and Bronwyn Davis, both 15, are senior section members at the 1st St Helen Auckland Guide and Senior Section Unit. They have been selected to take part in Girlguiding North East England’s trip to Thailand in August next year.

The Staindrop Academy pupils will be part of a team of 12 young people and three leaders travelling to work with the Guide Association of Thailand in the Chiang Mai area. The trip will last just over two weeks and will involve the girls working alongside a charity to deliver sessions in the community.

Gracie said: “We will be working with girls in Thailand and teaching them about first aid and basic personal hygiene. We are also hoping to do some work in an elephant sanctuary. I am looking forward to seeing how their Guides are different to ours. I think they might do things a bit differently to us.”

The girls have also been asked to educate girls of a similar age about self-worth and self-respect.

Bronwyn said: “It is something I have always wanted to do to help other people. You get a happy feeling of reward when you do it. I was so happy when I found out I was going on the trip. It is one of the biggest things we have done. The furthest I have been with Guides is Ireland.”

The pair are now hoping to raise £2,500 each to cover the cost of the trip which includes accommodation and food.

Gracie said: “We have got a crowdfunding page set up and we have contacted lots of local people and businesses to see if they can help.”

So far, the girls have managed to raise just over £1,000.

After booking a table to raise funds for their trip at the Toft Hill Community Centre Christmas Fair, on December 2, the girls were encouraged to apply to Etherley Parish Council’s small grants fund for support.

At this month’s meeting, parish councillors agreed to give them £250 each – 10 per cent of the total they need to raise to secure their places on the adventure.

To help them reach their targets, the pair are also planning to do bag packing in local supermarkets, as well as organising bingo evenings for girlguides and parents and a disco for the Brownies.

Gracie added: “We would like to thank everyone who has supported us so far.”

To make a donation visit http://bit.ly/2Bejj0y.