A GROUP of Sixth Form students and three members of staff from Beaminster School departed for a three week long trip to India last week.

Part of the bi-annual expedition will be spent with two charities that Beaminster School has been supporting for the last 18 years – The Asha Deep Foundation, with its orphanage, school work with slum dwellers and ‘rag picking’ children, and the Dattapur Leprosy Community, close to Gandhi’s Ashram in Sevagram in the centre of India.

Students will visit Jaipur and witness Diwali, the wildlife of the Ranthambore National Park and visit the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Trip leader Stephen Bassett, an English teacher at Beaminster, said: “The students have been very busy raising money to support the charities by organising coffee mornings, curry nights, selling cakes and organising quiz nights among other events.

“We would also like to thank the Ilminster Lions, the Beaminster School Association and Frances Tucker Trust for their support.

“In a first for the trip, the paint and renovation materials for the Leprosy Community have been very kindly sponsored by British Solar Renewables.

“This enables more of the students’ funds to be used directly with the charities.”

Stephen Bassett was part of the trip two years ago and has been preparing the students for the culture shock they will be experiencing.

He said: “The green hills of Beaminster are about as stark a contrast as you can have with the heat, pollution, smell and noise of Delhi. It can be quite over-powering, but an experience I hope the students will cherish.

“Working with the charities will give them a greater perspective on life.”

The group will provide updates during the trip on the school’s Facebook page, and Twitter feed (@Beaminster Sch).

The students departed on October 18 and will return on November 7.