A STUDENT has launched a campaign to raise £30,000 to fund a charity trip to India.

Former Canon Slade pupil Meg Kneafsey plans to lead a group of 11 volunteers on a five week trip to Palampur this summer.

If they succeed in reaching their fundraising target the group plan to bring much needed sanitation to the area by building eco-latrines and also teach English to local school children.

The 20-year-old, who is now a student at Durham University, said: “I’m really excited about this trip and to be going with such an enthusiastic group of volunteers.

“Many of those going on the trip have never done anything like this before so it will be a great experience for them and hopefully we can make a real difference.

“I really hope that people will get behind our campaign. Without donations this project won’t be possible but if all goes well the work we do will have a life changing impact for people in the area.”

Miss Kneafsey has plans to raise £1,600 and has already raised £842 through an online fundraising page.

The 11 other volunteers, all from the Durham University Charities Kommittee (DUCK) hope to raise £2,600 each, making a total of £30,200.

Palampur is known as The Tea Capital of North India although many people there have little running water, no access to sanitation and intermittent electricity.

Miss Kneafsey is hopeful her trip will have a real legacy for the area.

She said: "The work we are going to be doing, particularly on sanitation has never been tried before. If we are successful then this will be rolled out across the village and the difference this will make to people’s lives will be huge.”

Around £11,000 of the money raised will go to development charity FutureSense, which is partnering with the students to organise the trip, to fund the projects they do globally.

The rest of the money will directly fund the group's trip and the work they will be doing in India.

Miss Kneafsey said: “I was really keen to work with FutureShare again because I know they’re an organisation who really cares about the work they do and as a volunteer I’ve seen first hand the real long term impact their work makes.

“FutureShare already do a lot of vital education work in Palampur and this work was something I was keen to build on with this project."

This is not the first time she has been involved in overseas charity and development work.

During her gap year in 2013 she travelled to Nicaragua, where she spent 10 weeks volunteering and working on projects to promote sustainability.

Her trip takes place between August and September 2015 and donations can be made online.

For more information visit www.mydonate.bt.com and search Meg Kneafsey.