I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our neighbours in Norton Bavant who attended the Fundraising Brunch at the Village Hall last year and for sponsoring me to participate in the Fundraising challenge of reaching the summit of Mount Toubkal and Mount Ouanoukrim. Thank you all for your generosity, I raised about £700 at the brunch which is a huge amount for a small village to give.

I am now well on the way to raising £2,000 for my trip to the Orphanage in Southern India in November later this year and  I would like to keep everyone up to date with what’s going on in India so you will be able to access my blog through the Norton Bavant website.

Please take a few moments to consider supporting me in my gap year in which I intend to give my time to some of the neediest children in the world. With your support I hope to spend at least 3 months in an Indian Orphanage helping to feed and teach the children but mostly giving love, care and support to these little ones in 2011.

In order to work at the Orphanage I need to raise £2,000. Approximately £700 will pay for my flight & train journey and £300 will pay for my accommodation & food during my time with the children. Every volunteer is asked to arrive at the Orphanage with a donation of £1,000 where each volunteer gets to present an over-sized cheque in front of the whole school.

I have a lot of ideas for fundraising but the main one this summer is to summit the two highest peaks of Northern Africa on successive days: Mount Toubkal (4,167m) and Mount Ouanoukrim (4,089m) just as Rebecca did last year. I am looking for sponsorship for the climb so please dig deep and let me have your generous donation towards my time at the Orphanage. No donation is too small, anything will be gratefully received. If you wish to support me please make your cheques payable to Kings Bruton School and leave your cheques with Mum (Jane Docherty) at No 3 Norton Bavant. If you would like more details about my trip or the Orphanage in India please do not hesitate to contact me at jessdoch@yahoo.co.uk.

During their gap year most students volunteer for Camp America why did you choose an Orphanage in Southern India?

Becca: I wanted to do something worthwhile during my gap year and our school, Kings Bruton, is very involved with the Orphanage in Southern India.

What is the set up in Southern India?

Jessica: Well, there are about 2,000 children aged between two months and 18 years at the orphanage and it provides them with somewhere to live, so basically food & shelter and an education. As part of the Orphanage, they have set up a Teacher Training College and an Agricultural College and many of the children stay on and train to become teachers who will then teach other orphans. It also gives the children an opportunity to further their education by going to university especially if they can speak English.

How do the children end up at the Orphanage?

Becca: Many of the children are abandoned in towns and villages and the Orphanage has a van that goes around and collects these children, some are dropped off at the Orphanage if the family has no way of feeding their children.

What will you teach the children?

Jessica: We will spend our time teaching the children English, music and sports – apparently the children love cricket. Because there are about 2,000 children at the orphanage it means each carer is responsible for about 50 children so they don’t get to experience a lot of physical contact like hugs.

Becca: Yes, our accommodation or living quarters is a little bit like a dormitory where we have shower facilities.

Jessica: Yes I’ll definitely feel homesick.

Have you received any advice from returning volunteers?

Jessica: Oh, yes we certainly wouldn’t go out alone.

What will the journey be like?

Becca: The flight takes about 8 hours and then there is a 7 hour train journey but there will be quite a few of us travelling together as there are about 12 volunteers going from Kings Bruton School.

Jane, are you worried about your girls going out to India?

No, I think they will be quite safe working within the Orphanage – as their mother I am more concerned about how they will cope emotionally.

Me: Yes, I can understand that, as I spent some time looking at the website www.icmcindia.org  and I was in tears. I had to stop reading about it.

Girls, have you thought about different ways of raising money for your trips?

Becca: Yes, I’ve been doing some bag packing at local supermarkets, I’ve been working in Cafes and Bars (the Woolpack – Sutton Veny) and I will add some of my own money too.

Do you have any final words?

In summary, I think it will really open our eyes as to what goes on in a different part of the world. We have lived quite a safe, sheltered life compared to these children and we would imagine that working in the orphanage will be a life changing opportunity.