Teenager Travels Downunder for Charity Fundraiser
By admin
Issued on behalf of The Joshua Foundation
A teenager from Rushden has returned from her very own trip of a lifetime after raising money to help terminally ill children have the holiday of their dreams.
Lauren Furness, 18, a former pupil of Rushden Community College took part in ‘The Oz Experience’- a project organised by the charity The Joshua Foundation.
By raising £2,400 in sponsorship money, Lauren gained her place as a Joshua Foundation ‘Oz Kid’ and travelled to Australia for three weeks this summer. The money raised by Lauren and her fellow ‘Oz Kids’ has helped to pay for dream holidays and experiences for children suffering with terminal cancer and their families.
The rest of the money then went towards a three-week adventure holiday Down Under, where the teenagers carried out vital conservation work, as well as seeing the sights in Sydney and Melbourne.
During her trip Lauren worked within the Oz Kids team on conservation projects in an Australian wildlife park and also climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Joshua Foundation was set up by Sarah Cornelius from Caerphilly in 1998, in memory of her son, Joshua, who died from abdominal cancer at the age of just 7.
Lauren, who is due to start University in Durham later this month, joined fellow fundraisers at her school to reach the fundraising target. Lauren said: “Taking part in the Oz experience was the best thing that I have ever done. The fundraising was a challenge but it is worth every second of hard work when you know that it is going to such a great cause.
“I knew that the Oz Experience was going to be brilliant, but it was a million times better than I had ever expected. I met so many great friends that I will keep in touch with and saw magnificent sights.
Sarah Cornelius said: “We are very proud of all our Oz Kids and the effort they put into fundraising. The money raised by Lauren and her fellow Oz Kids will make a huge difference to the children the Joshua Foundation works with, and the great time that is had by all of the Oz Kids in Australia couldn’t be more deserved.”
