A WEYMOUTH teenager is off to Kenya this summer to tackle work in conservation, a local community school and a wildlife park.

Katy Henderson, 17, a sixth- form student currently revising for three A-levels at Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester, said she is hoping that people can help by sponsoring her trip.

The expedition to Kenya on July 27 will last four weeks and she said: "A massive part of my challenge is to raise more than £3,500 which I am doing through a mix of fundraising events, a part-time job, gifts from friends and family and sponsorship.

"The expedition is organised by Camps International which started out as a very small idea to improve the lives of children in Kenya.

"It has come a long way with lots of students in the country who have developed resources and facilities that are making a big difference to local people that, 20 years ago, they would not have dreamed of.

"My group of students will be located in a local community near Mombasa and we will be involved in refurbishment work within a village school and will help to build three new classrooms.

"The improvements will help raise the school standards and will give the children more opportunity and a better chance with their futures.

"I will also be working in an elephant sanctuary in Mwaluganje and will be helping to improve the structure of the reserve as well as the living conditions of the animals."

It is the wildlife and conditions which are giving Katy most cause for concern.

She said: "I suffer from sunburn, which could be a problem, but my main worry is insects. I absolutely hate creepy-crawlies!"

She still hopes to be a real help to the park and said: "As the reserve relies on tourists to make money, any improvements will hopefully lead to more tourists which in turn provides more money for the local community."

Katy added that her trip will not all be hard work. She said: "I will be taking part in a five-day trek to climb Mount Kenya.

"This will be extremely challenging and will be a good test of the training I have already carried out.

"The expedition is a wonderful opportunity for me and it will allow me to put something into an African community whose people are not as fortunate as me.

"It will also help to develop my teamwork and leadership skills which ultimately will help with my lifetime ambition to join the Royal Navy as a pilot."