A TAVISTOCK woman is busy fundraising to undertake a trip in the summer to help build playgrounds in Africa.

Twenty-year-old Ella Gardner, a former Tavistock College Student who is now nearing the end of her first year at Exeter University, has volunteered to raise £1,700 to go out to Uganda for three weeks and build a playground as part of the East African Playgrounds charity.

Ella said: ‘Since arriving at university I have joined RAG (Raise and Give) Society and have volunteered to raise £1,700 for East African Playgrounds and to go to Uganda with them for three weeks in summer to build a playground and look at the amazing work they do there.

‘I travelled to Tanzania for two months on a volunteering expedition last year with Camps International. I had the most amazing experience and the work I did in Tanzania felt so worthwhile. This is what inspired me to sign up for this new challenge!

‘East African Playgrounds works to help bring the gift of play to some of the world’s most disadvantaged children. Play has an incredible benefit on the development of a child — it builds physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills, while giving children the space in which to make sense of the world and exercise freedom of thought too. For me, one of the key aspects of East African Playgrounds is how they train and employ local people. This is one of the many reasons why I truly believe in East African Playgrounds. They offer joint support to both the communities they intend to help and to volunteers, giving volunteers the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the culture and have the experience of a lifetime, knowing they really are helping.’

The £1,700 Ella intends to raise will go directly to East African Playgrounds, funding the work it does in East Africa. So far she has raised £1,011.68.

‘I have been fundraising throughout the past year,’ she said. ‘I’ve been doing things such as taking part in street collections in nearby cities, making and selling Christmas cards and hosting parties. Some fundraisers have been more successful than others! Although many have been hard work, they were still so worth it. I am planning further fundraisers, alongside trying to do a spot of revision for my exams!’

Anyone who would like to help Ella reach her target can do so by visiting the website exeterraggorilla2016.everydayhero.com/uk/ella-s-uganda-trek#/?_k=qshvsq