A team of apprentices, trainees and graduates from BAE Systems in Barrow are set to fly out to Tanzania this summer to help build homes for orphaned children.
Front row from left: Claire Braithwaite, Zoe King, Hannah Moore, Adam Collett, Max Waplington, Charlotte Taylor, Sally Evans, Kelsey Donaldson.
The 15-strong team from BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines will be taking on their toughest challenge yet when they swap their offices and overalls for the streets of Tanzania as part of an international volunteering project run by the Vine Trust charity.
The team, headed up by project management graduate, Charlotte Taylor, have so far raised £11,700 to fund their trip in July by organising various activities such as a 95 mile walk from BAE Systems in Warton to BAE Systems in Barrow, cake sales, supermarket bag packs, Christmas fayres, bikeathons and online donations.
Now, as they near their target of £13,000, they have their sights set on ensuring everything is in place to make sure the trip goes without a hitch. This includes the team assembling an extensive kit list and undertaking team building exercises to ensure they work as efficiently as possible in Tanzania.
Charlotte said: “The team has been working hard to reach our fundraising target whilst saving to contribute personal donations of £250 each.
“We know that this will be the challenge and experience of a lifetime. Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world that tragically has over 2.4 million orphans.
“We can’t wait to get there to try and provide young people who have limited opportunities with a stable environment and a chance to get an education.
“We will have some free time during the fortnight but the team has pledged to spend it volunteering in schools, to try and pass on as much as we can in the short time we are there.
“I’m sure that the experience will be tough but it’s one that we’re really looking forward to. It will be a great life experience for us all – and an adventure we will be proud to complete.”
The final 15 are Charlotte Taylor, Liam Shepherd, Kelsey Donaldson, Mike Wallace, Ben Brenan, Hannah Moore, Dan Robinson, Max Waplington, Claire Braithwaite, Sally Evans, Owen Quinn, Ryan Grainger, Andy Rawlinson, Adam Collett and Zoe King. They are set to leave on Friday 11th July 2014 and return on Sunday 3rd August 2014.