A KIND-HEARTED Kidderminster woman is taking part in a gruelling charity trek in order to "make a difference" to the lives of children in Africa and Asia.

Christine Nicholls, 25, of Harold Evers Way, plans to make the 10-day hike along the Inca trail in Peru next June to raise money for WaterAid, a charity that provides safe water and hygiene education to the world's poorest people.

Miss Nicholls, who is a customer adviser at Nationwide Building Society in Kidderminster, said she was determined to take part in the exhausting trek after realising many children were not as fortunate as her own two-year old son, Joseph.

"It's so easy for us to turn a tap on," she said. "I've got a little boy and it really makes you think when you hear that a child dies every 15 seconds just because they don't have clean water."

The Kidderminster branch of Nationwide has already pledged its support for Miss Nicholls by agreeing to hold a week of fund-raising activities starting from Monday, October 10.

Customers and staff will be invited to join in a tombola, a raffle, a sponsored bike ride and face painting in the branch to help Christine to reach her ambitious £3,000 target - a sum which would pay for a motorised water pump to serve a community.

As well as fund-raising, Miss Nicholls has also started training for the trek.

She said: "I know it's going to be hard because of the altitude in Peru so I'm trying to get fit. I've got a three wheeler pushchair so Joseph and I go jogging along the canal together. He thinks it's great. I'm going to the gym and swimming as well."

She added: "It's the first time I've done anything like this so it's going to be a challenge. We have to trek for nine hours a day. But we're so lucky here that, if I can make a difference for others, I thought I'd give it a go."

Nationwide has agreed to sponsor Miss Nicholls £100 and other local Kidderminster businesses have also pledged money.

Anyone wishing to make a donation should pop into the Nationwide in Vicar Street, Kidderminster or take part in the fund-raising week.