A mother-of-four is preparing for a “constructive” two-week trip to Cambodia to help build a school library.

Sonia Town will be carrying out the missionary work in the village, Ounlong-Kong Thmey, for children rehoused from the slum areas of the capital, Phnom Penh.

She is among eight volunteers flying out on Saturday, March 29, to take part in the project organised by the charity Mission Direct.

Sonia, a retired TA and member of Sittingbourne Baptist Church, said: “I’m getting really excited and really looking forward to the trip.

“It will be physically and emotionally exhausting, but you get so much back from it, and the people are always absolutely lovely.

“They’ve got nothing, but they’ve got a lot of things we haven’t such as a lot of joy in their lives.”

It will be the third time Sonia has travelled abroad to help people less fortunate, having journeyed to the Dominican Republic in 2007 and 2009 to help with housing projects.

The 58-year-old, of Longridge, Sittingbourne, added “I’m a Christian and have a concern for people. I like to show them God’s love by doing something constructive.

“Also, like a lot of people, when I see things happening in the world, I like to think I can go out and actively do something rather than watch it all happen on TV.”

To confirm her place on the trip, Sonia needs to raise £1,600. She said every penny donated to volunteers would go towards the charity, and £30 would be enough to pay for a lifesaving operation for a Cambodian child.

A fortnight in the sun it may be, but Sonia, whose charitable jaunts have the full backing of her husband, Philip, said her trip to the south east Asian country would be no holiday.

“I’ve been going to the gym and keeping fit,” she said. “I know how exhausting these trips can be, doing a lot of manual work in quite high temperatures.”