TWO young adventurers will be spending this summer more than 5,000 miles from home as they embark on a once in a lifetime experience.  Mhairi Gilmour and Courtney Smith, who are both 20, work together at K:A Leisure and although they went to different schools and attend different universities they are both studying hoping to become clinical psychologists.  And as part of there trip to Sri Lanka they will be working in a local Mental Health Hospital.  Needing to raise £2,000 each, it is an expensive summer holiday for the girls who will each be staying with a family on the outskirts of Colombo, the capital of the island country.

They will also be teaching English to some very eager locals whilst they are in Sri Lanka.

The pair are holding a race night to hopefully raise the money needed to make the journey which will take place in the Irvine Water Sports Club on Friday, April 3.  The friends are also volunteers with the National Autistic Society and are doing individual fitness challenges to raise money with Mhairi doing a sponsored swim and Courtney cycling 440km over a period of time, which is the length of Sri Lanka.  Travelling out on June 1, Mhairi from Ardrossan and Courtney from Kilwinning will be keeping those back home updated with their progress through a blog and although their families and friends have been supportive they both said they would be going no matter what.  Can you help them to realise their dream of helping others?

For any more information or to sponsor the pair email mhairigilmour@btinternet.com or visit their blog at www.tartangiraffe.com.

You can also donate to Mhairi’s efforts online via pledgie.com/campaigns/28375.