A teenager from Lowestoft has received a boost as she prepares to head to Cambodia later this month.

Lowestoft-based company Kingsley Healthcare has made a donation to 16-year-old Emily Alexander to help support equipment costs on her educational trip to Southeast Asia.

Emily, who has just sat her GCSEs at Benjamin Britten Music Academy, will be joining a Camps International expedition from July 25 to August 21.

She will be visiting small rural towns as well as major cities such as Phnom Penh, and carrying out community, wildlife and environmental project work.

Ahead of the expedition, the care home group was able to show its support with some additional funding.

The teenager said: “One thing I know we will be doing is helping to plant crops.

“Other work could include taking part in building projects and installing water pumps.

"We will also be doing a hike in the jungle and visiting the Angkor Wat temples, S-21 Prison and the Killing Fields."

She added: “I am hoping to immerse myself in Cambodia’s history and culture as I feel it is important to develop a wider understanding of not only your own culture but others as well.”

Emily, who will be going on to Lowestoft Sixth Form College and hopes to become a paramedic, managed to raise £4,000 for the trip but needed extra support to buy kit, including trekking boots, camping bags, trekking trousers and injections.

During a cheque presentation at the school on Blyford Road, Lowestoft, Kingsley’s marketing and customer relations director Stephen Pullinger, said: “While we have grown into a national care company, we are proud of our Lowestoft roots and our head office remains in the town.

“It is fantastic to be able to support young people from the area on such worthy endeavours.”