Teen faces gruelling trek to remote village

A CULCHETH High School pupil is flying to Nepal to help build a school for youngsters in the village of Thulodhunga.

Birchwood fire cadet Poppy Noden, aged 14, is part of a team of 20 young people and 10 team leaders from the fire service who will head to the country in November 2015.

Many children in the Basa region work or take care of younger siblings or elderly relatives, so usually have no education.

Poppy is part of charity Classrooms in the Clouds, whose mission is to provide affordable and accessible education to all the children of Nepal.

A plot of land above Thulodhunga village has been secured and villagers have started building the school ready for the arrival of the Cheshire group next year.

Poppy will help prepare four of eight new classrooms by plastering, painting and building furniture.

She said: “It’s going to be amazing. I’m looking forward to spending time in the village, meeting all the children and seeing how they live first hand.

“It will be nice to see the result of our work and see the children’s reactions to having a new school.”

The group will need to trek for a day and-a-half while carrying all their equipment to get to the village, which is in sight of Everest.

Poppy added: “It will be tough and give a taste of what it is like for the children who have to walk for two or three hours to get to school every day.

“But waking up every morning with Everest in front of me will be worth it.”

Poppy has been a fire cadet since September and gets to learn skills like ladder drills, first aid and how to use the hoses.

Nick Evans, youth engagement manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The aim of the trip, apart from building a school for the village, is to give each cadet a challenge as part of their personal development.

“The trip will raise awareness of cultural diversity and enhance their knowledge about Third World poverty.”

But Poppy needs to raise £3,250 for the trip.

She has done a bake sale with her sister Scarlet, aged nine, is doing a sponsored 250 mile run over five months and will be helping out at Newchurch Primary School’s fete.

To support Poppy, visit justgiving.com/poppynoden.