A BRAVE young woman is trading her life in Ramsbottom to help disadvantaged children in poverty-stricken Honduras.

Hayley Hardman has always wanted to travel and after hearing about the devastating conditions in the South American nation, she decided she had to help.

The 22-year-old Sheffield Hallam graduate flies out on January 14 to spend 12 months working with disadvantaged children on behalf of charity Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE).

“I have always wanted travel and to learn another language and culture so I thought I would combine it with volunteering,” said Hayley, who has been learning Latin American Spanish in preparation for the challenge.

“I’m excited and looking forward to it but I’m really nervous because it’s going to be a huge culture shock,” she added.

Honduras is still suffering from the massive destruction caused by Hurricane Mitch ten years ago, which wiped out 33,000 houses and 70 per cent of the crops.

The country has recently been declared a national state of emergency after three weeks of torrential rain.

Hayley still has plenty to do before embarking on the trip of a lifetime and is trying to raise £4,000. “It’s a hard time to raise money just before Christmas and with the credit crunch,” she said.

To help her reach her target, The Vineyard wine specialist is hosting a wine-tasting evening at the Rose and Crown pub in Ramsbottom on December 13.

The evening will have a Latin American theme with food and wine from the region, and tickets are available at £20 from the shop on Square Street.

Donations can be made at justgiving.com/HayleyHardman