Thailand Trip 2026
Could you help get us there?
We are a small group of young people and staff going to Thailand next summer for an opportunity of a lifetime. We all go to the Youth Centre in South Petherton.
This will be a huge adventure and a chance to volunteer and make a difference to others and us.
The time we have in Thailand will include some volunteering opportunities, linking with a summer camp at a local school, visiting an ethical elephant sanctuary, visiting some local hill tribes overnight, taking on some personal physical challenges, including trekking and white-water rafting and experiencing all Chiang Mai has to offer.
We fortunately have links with a local school and head teacher, so we will really be thrown into Thai life and culture.
We have to raise a lot of money, and estimate it will cost about £28000. We have lots planned fundraising planned bingo, quiz, football tournament, coffee mornings, car washes, car boots, sponsored cycle and loads more.
We are also looking for donations from anyone who would like to support us. We really need everyone’s help and support to help us get there. We are writing to local people and businesses to ask for sponsorship and support.
This trip is a huge challenge, a big adventure, frightening and exciting, and something we would not get the opportunity to do. For many, it is our first time abroad and our first time being and feeling part of something positive that would feel otherwise out of reach.
We have all faced different challenges, struggled in school, isolation, mental health and family difficulties. The challenge of fundraising is a long-term commitment and one that pushes us outside of our comfort zone.
We know from previous trips the difference this can make to people, the individual, our youth groups, other young people and the community. It is an experience that goes beyond our time away and the time fundraising. It can be life changing!
Thanks so much for taking the time to read about us and hopefully supporting this opportunity.
If you want to donate directly, please CLICK HERE or you can use the QR code below. Or if you want to discuss ways you could support or want to find out more, please contact Kate, who is one of the youth workers supporting us.
Kate number is 07763717396
Thanks again – Team Thailand
Meet the Young People!
Freya
Hi, I'm Freya.
I’m preparing for an adventure that means more to me than simply travelling abroad. I have the opportunity to go to Thailand next year that I hope will help me view the world in a different way but also open my heart. This trip is an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, experience new things, learn from others and hopefully to make even a small positive impact on others.
I’ve always found it difficult to talk to new people and getting out of my comfort zone to try new things, I’m hoping from this experience I will be more confident in myself and be able to do things that I wouldn’t have even attempted before. In the past I’ve struggled with my mental health that led me to isolate myself from the people that I love.
I’m incredibly grateful to have the chance to do something incredible like this, but also to learn and connect with new people. I hope to get out of this trip is getting to know everyone and myself well, experience new things, but especially to try new food that I haven’t tried before. I’m going to find speaking in front of others challenging as I worry that I might say or do the wrong thing.
I deeply believe in the power of compassion and community, and I’m committed to using this trip to grow, to serve and to bring back lessons that last long after I return back home. Thank you for supporting my journey. Your generosity truly means the world to me and us as a group.
Ruby
Hi, I'm Ruby.
I am 15, I will be 16 when we go to Thailand. I am part of a group from South Petherton Youth club going to Thailand in 2026.
I have been coming to the youth club for over a year. I don’t live in the same town but have found a safe place here and it’s an important space for me. I suffer with really bad anxiety and don’t attend school I have online tutoring. If it wasn’t for the youth centre, I would be quite isolated.
This trip is a huge personal challenge and outside of my comfort zone and different from anything I have ever done. The fundraising and commitment are hard, but it is really good for me to feel part of something.
It will be massive for me, and I really hope it will improve my confidence and self-belief. I also want to experience a different place and be able to volunteer in the school summer camp.
If you could help in anyway, it would make a huge difference.
Thanks Ruby
Will
I’m 16 and in year 11 at school. The biggest challenge for me going to Thailand will be being away from my mum as I feel protective of her and like to make sure, she is ok.
The fundraising commitment is a challenge as I have a big year with exams, and I need to sort myself out a bit.
I work cleaning cars at the youth club every week and go every week to see friends and play pool. I have ADHD, Dyslexia and find school and life quite hard at times. I also get angry a lot and am working hard on this.
Thailand is exciting and a new challenge for me and something good I can get involved in. I am looking forward to exploring a new place and helping with some projects while we are there.
Thanks for any money you can give us to help get us there.
Mckayla
Hi, I’m Mckayla.
I’m preparing for a journey that means more to me than just travel. Heading to Thailand for an experience that I hope will open my heart, broaden my perspective, and help me grow.
This trip is important to me because I want to challenge myself, learn from a culture rich in kindness and resilience, and return home with stories, lessons, and gratitude to share.
As a group we see each other every week at the Youth centre. We are all different and all struggle a bit. This will be an amazing thing to do together.
To make this dream a reality, I’m working on fundraising. Any help big or small would honestly help Whether it’s donating, sharing a fundraiser with others, or even just cheering me on, every bit of support brings us one step closer to this experience. You’d be helping me learn, grow, and see the world in a way I never have before.
Spencer
Hi, I'm Spencer.
I’m 16 and part of the Thailand group. I left school last year and am at collage and working whenever I can to earn money. I come to the Youth club all the time and try and come in and play pool whenever someone is there.
I want to go to Thailand and meet different people, try new things and have an adventure. I also think it will be hard for me and is a big challenge. I am looking forward to the physical challenge of trekking.
I have been in quite a bit of trouble and have a bit of a reputation. It will be good for me to commit to this, see it through and learn a load of stuff about me on the way. I want to prove to myself I can see something through and do something positive. I think it will be hard doing some of the fundraising events and having to not swear and be seen differently.
We would appreciate any support to help get us as a group.