LOUISE'S MISSION: A Lowestoft student headed out to Thailand on Wednesday to prepare for seven weeks of volunteering in Asia.

Louise Sturman will be spending four weeks living with a tribe, teaching English to youngsters while helping with issues such as drugs, poverty and unemployment and then spending two weeks in an elephant conservation centre with a week of travelling in between.

Before leaving, the 20-year-old University of Kent student told The Journal she was looking forward to her voluntary work.

'It is the chance of a lifetime and I'm not nervous, more excited,' she said.

Having just completed the second year of a three-year course studying criminology at the University of Kent, the former Kirkley High School and East Norfolk Sixth Form College student added: 'I will be finding out my results while I'm in Thailand.

'Our university encourages us to volunteer, and as part of my course – which includes these social issues – this is a chance to put these into real life situations. And it also looks so good to have on your CV.'

Louise will be based as part of a tribe in a village close to Chiang Mai in Thailand – and to help teach the youngsters, she will be presenting stationery and equipment for the local school and villagers, which has been supplied by ASDA in Lowestoft.

'It will be a mixture of everything – teaching in schools – and much more, and I'd like to thank a few companies who have sponsored me for the volunteering,' she said.

She was also grateful for sponsorship from Jamie King at King's Petroleum, Martin Spence and David Doddington at BFS Enterprise (Fabrications) LTD, Eng-Tech, Asda Lowestoft and her grandparents Mr and Mrs Pettitt and Mr and Mrs Sturman.

'All of the sponsorship has been unbelievably helpful and appreciated,' Louise said.