A STUDENT is looking for help in raising £2,850 for him to volunteer in Peru.

Ben Ellison, 18, of Basildon, has signed up to a 20-day trip which will see him renovating homes and schools within the Peruvian community, as well as taking time to teach the children English and other skills.

Mr Ellison, a former pupil of Felmore Primary School and Bromfords School, will also spend some time trekking the Inca Trail to reach Machu Picchu.

He decided to sign up after missing out on a trip to Kosovo to volunteer there while at school.

Mr Ellison, who is studying law at Oxford Brookes University, said: “When I heard about this trip, I had to go.

“I booked it as quickly as I could.

“I have wanted to do something like this for quite a while because of the stuff we take for granted like having a house and I want other people to be able to have that.

“Peru is so poor and I want to help the people there.”

Mr Ellison has never been there before and is looking forward to the trip.

He needs to raise £2,850, 60 per cent of which will go to the charity organising the trip, Future Sense Foundation, with the remainder covering his meals, flights and accommodation.

Mr Ellison has so far managed to raise £70.

He added: “I am really excited to be going.

“I have met four of the people who are going as we are all from the same university.

“I think they are expecting ten people to go out there in total from Oxford Brookes.

“I wanted to be a teacher when I was younger so I am really looking forward to teaching English out there as it fulfils what I wanted to do when I was younger.

“Renovating the school will be good as well as we can give the community something we take for granted.”

He is also planning to hold quiz nights to help with the fundraising.

Although originally unsure he would be able to raise the amount of money needed, he is now more confident.

To donate, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/BenEllison