Formby woman visits Cambodia after raising £3,000 for landmine charity MAG

May 20 2009
by Nick Moreton

Formby Times
http://www.formbytimes.co.uk

A WOMAN from Formby, who raised more than £3,000 for charity, travelled to Cambodia to see the results of her efforts.

Anna Cotsworth raised the money for the Mines Advisory Group, a charity which clears war zones of the remnants of battle for the benefit of communities worldwide.

The 27-year-old travelled to Cambodia to take part in the charity’s “Challenge Cambodia” project.

The challenge started with a two day trek up and around Kulen Mountani in Siem Reap Province, with the whole group making it to their destination, despite the high temperatures and humidity.

The next part of the challenge took the form of a four-day trek to a remote village to build two houses for families which have suffered due to landmines, the legacy of years of civil war in Cambodia.

Anna, a project worker at Barclays in Northwich and former pupil at Range High, said: “I read about it in a magazine and just decided to do it.

“I raised about £3,000 for the Mines Advisory Group, which not only paid for the houses and toilets to be built, but will help save countless lives and limbs across the world as the charity use it to continue clearing the deadly remnants of war.

“Just going out there and seeing the people you are meant to be helping is great – it’s nice to see what the money you’ve raised is being spent on and seeing how it benefits people.

“The poverty, malnutrition and quality of life that is the norm for thousands of people in Cambodia was both shocking and humbling, and it was a privilege for me to be able to go there and help in what little way I could, especially to work beside the villagers and to learn so much from them.

“Doing something like that again would be quite an effort, but I would love for it to happen.

“A huge thank you goes to everyone who got involved in fundraising events and provided sponsorship for this worthwhile cause.”