A YOUNG Tavistock volunteer is preparing to travel thousands of miles with aid agency CAFOD (Catholic Agency For Overseas Development) to meet some of the people the charity is working with in Cambodia.

James Ronan, 23, who grew up in Tavistock, will go to Cambodia for nearly three weeks at the end of January. While there, he will meet local communities who have been helped by the fundraising and campaigning of CAFOD’s supporters in England and Wales.

James, who is currently participating in the CAFOD gap year scheme, has been volunteering in St Mary’s Academy, Blackpool, since September. Through working with the chaplaincy team, he has been supporting students, sharing CAFOD’s work and helping with fundraising activities.

He will now travel with other gap year volunteers to meet some of the local organisations that CAFOD works with in the country to deliver its development, conservation and education projects.

James said: ‘I am eager to experience Cambodian culture, meet different people, taste traditional Cambodian food and see amazing landscapes and wildlife. Most of all I am excited to be visiting CAFOD partners and witness the impact they have made in the country.

‘I will be visiting a variety of projects, including water and sanitation projects and Srer Khmer, a Cambodian agricultural NGO, as well as a village support group.’

CAFOD has been working in Cambodia since 1980 and continues to support vulnerable groups by enabling indigenous people to access land titles, protect their forests and to increase their food supply and income through organic farming. The charity also works with local organisations to support women to influence, and become involved in, local government.

James added: ‘This trip has also inspired me to learn Khmer, a dialect spoken in the areas of Cambodia that I will be visiting. I have started watching YouTube videos to try and learn phrases to connect with the people I will be visiting, which I think is important.’

James will visit various projects in the country, before returning to the UK to finish his placement, where he will be able to share his experience with communities in England and Wales.

CAFOD representative in Plymouth Simon Giarchi said: ‘It’s great that James will get to experience first-hand CAFOD partner’s work and learn so much about communities so far away. When he returns to the UK, he will have the opportunity to continue to support the people he has met in Cambodia through volunteering with CAFOD and sharing his experiences.’

Learn more about CAFOD’s work at www.cafod.org.uk