A TEENAGER is preparing to spend her summer holidays in South America working on a community project for the poor.

A TEENAGER is preparing to spend her summer holidays in South America working on a community project for the poor.

Art student Polly Jackson, 18, is raising £1,800 to pay for the trip, which will form part of the work of the Christian organisation Latin Link.

Polly, of Gainsborough Road, Felixstowe, has received some financial support so far and raised several hundred pounds from taking part in a fun run, holding cake sales at college and gaining sponsorship.

On Saturday she is holding a coffee morning at St Andrew's Church Hall, St Andrew's Road, from 10am to 1pm to boost her funds. The event will feature a range of refreshments as well as a raffle and bric a brac stall.

Polly, who has just completed her arts foundation course at Suffolk College and is looking forward to beginning a degree course studying painting at Wimbledon College of Art this autumn, will be setting off for Peru next month as part of a group of 80 people.

She will be on a team of ten working near Pisco on a community project to build an annexe for children and mothers.

“I am really excited about it and looking forward to it,” said Polly, who worships at St Andrew's Church in Felixstowe.

“I wanted to do something different this summer and really help some people and make a difference and this is a great chance to do that before I go off to university. It should be a great experience.”