FIREFIGHTER apprentices will be travelling to Nepal to give access to education to young children.

Following two years of fundraising, 11 apprentices will be going to a remote village in Nepal on Saturday, March 10 for 16 days.

Working with the charity Classrooms in the Clouds each apprentice was set a personal target of raising £2,700. This formed part of their development programme as firefighter and community safety apprentices with Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Before arriving at the village, they will be completing a two-and-a-half-day trek accompanied by Dawa Geljen Sherpa, a trustee of Classroom in the Clouds, and his team of Sherpas

Collectively they have raised £30,000 and all of the money is going towards building an Early Years Centre in Kharikhola, a village near Lukla.

The building will be to an earthquake-resistant standard and the facility will provide strong foundations for learning for the youngest children.

Sam Rogers, apprentice coordinator for CFRS will be accompanying the team. He said: “The apprentices have worked really hard raising this money and have been involved in some great fundraising activities.

“Some of these have taken them out of their comfort zone, such as skydiving and some which have been completed through pure determination like the Everest ladder climb.

“Thanks to their hard work and support the facility that’s been built with the money will make a huge difference to the whole community of Kharikhola.

“We are all now looking forward to seeing the building and meeting the children and elders of the village.”

Amy Barber, 19, an apprentice from Northwich, said: “I enjoy going to Delamere Forest, either with my dog, or my mountain bike so I hope I’m fit enough for the trek. Meeting the young people and seeing the brilliant school we have raised money to build will be simply the best thing.”

Hollie Barlow, 20, an apprentice currently living in Northwich, said: “I’ve studied Physical Education at College and am coming to the end of a 14-year gymnastics hobby so I’m hopefully fit enough to enjoy the trek.

“This Nepal project will be a new opportunity for the whole cohort and especially for those like me who have never travelled outside of Europe.”