STUDENTS from a Poole school are hoping to work on a number of community and conservation projects in rural Cambodia next year.

Fifteen pupils from St Edward's School have started fundraising for the four-week trip which has been organised to help impoverished villages in the South East Asian country.

Once there the students, from mixed year groups, will work to build wells to provide clean water, construct toilets and help sustainability initiatives such as building chicken houses, water pots and even a jungle garden.

St Edward’s School headteacher Michael Antram said: "This trip offers an unparalleled opportunity for our students to have an enriching and horizon-expanding cultural experience a world away from their lives here, as well as an important opportunity to make a difference and work to help the Cambodian communities where many people live below the poverty line.

"We are hugely grateful to the school community for the donations which have been made so far and we hope more will follow.

"We’d also like to reach out to local businesses on behalf of our pupils and invite them to support this truly worthwhile endeavour."

The expedition costs £4,380, so pupils are now working to raise money to support their efforts.

Independent fundraising has seen students hosting stalls at the school’s Christmas market.

The school has also introduced a donation box for unwanted clothes in reception, to be sold to Cash4Clothes to contribute to the trip costs. Clothes, shoes, belts, hats, small soft toys, handbags, jackets and coats are all welcomed.

The trip is organised by Camps International.

Visit website.network.st-edwards.poole.sch.uk for information.