SEVEN young people from Herefordshire are embarking on a fund and awareness raising challenge that will take them across the globe next year after signing up to a St Michael's Hospice project.

The Young People's Outreach Project Muheza was created by St Michael's Hospice's children and families social worker Emma Speedy and former St Michael's Hospice palliative care physician Dr Karilyn Collins, the founder of Muheza Hospice Care, an independent non-governmental organisation in Tanga, Tanzania.

Now in its sixteenth year, Muheza Hospice Care works to educate the community about palliative care, to combat AIDS and provide improved quality of life for people with life limiting illnesses in the Muheza district and Tanga region, offering palliative medicine and physical, psychological, social and spiritual care services in the centre and community.

The seven young people taking part in the project, which aims to raise awareness of the experience of young people's bereavement and the lasting impact it has on their lives, have all accessed or helped at support sessions run by Hope at St Michael's Hospice following bereavement.

Now, they are on a journey to share their experiences and stories and to raise funds to support Muheza Hospice's children's support groups, which provide vital education, respite, fun and support to children and young people who are living with life limiting illnesses or have experienced the loss of one or more family members.

Their journey will take them all the way to Tanzania in August 2019, where they will meet, share experiences and stories with, and organise a special day trip to the beach for the young people supported by Muheza Hospice.

Team members Eleri, Henry, Lauren, Sarah, Morgan, Liberty and Isobel are aiming to raise at least £2,000 each, which will both cover their travel costs and make a sizeable contribution to Muheza's funds, through donations and a variety of sponsored challenges including half marathons, abseiling and concert performances.

For more information on the project and links to the team's GoFundMe fundraising pages, visit https://ypomuheza.wixsite.com/followthejourney