TWO former Alton College boys are on a mission to raise funds for Raleigh International, a charity that is sending them to Nepal for three months of volunteering to help communities struggling with poverty who are still affected by the earthquake that struck the country in 2015.

Jamie Todd-Smith, 18, who lives in Beech, and Sam McMahon, from the North Hangers, have to raise part of the money for the trip and are now busy organising fundraising events.

Jamie, who has a place at Plymouth University to study mechanical engineering, says the first one will be a band concert at The Lounge Room at Alton Community Centre on Sunday, November 26, at 7.15pm, and they hope to hold a quiz night.

The travellers will also be doing free table waiting at an event in Beech village hall in return for donations.

Jamie and Sam had to go through an assessment programme before being selected to go to Nepal, where Jamie said he will be living in a village with a family for three months and thinks he will be on a project to bring clean water to the village. Both are very excited about the prospect of working in Nepal as volunteers.

Because of the problems with getting clean drinking water, Jamie explained how the people there protect it by using a method they call “tippy tappy” to wash their hands.

“They use a cardboard milk carton that is filled with holes, they put water in and shake it over their hands, so they don’t pass on any infections into the water they drink.”

The boys, who recently toured Canada for a month, have to each raise £800 to be able to go on the trip and so far, Jamie has raised £300.

They hope Sunday night’s concert – one of the band’s playing is The Bedroom Text – will help boost their funds. Tickets are £5 for under-21s and £8 for adults.