A DEAF charity worker is to embark on a once in a lifetime trek across the Himalayas to raise money for deaf people in the UK and poor deaf children in Nepal.

Jimmy Anderson, 41, who is the team leader of Deafway, in Brockholes Brow, Preston, will be taking part in the charity's Himalayan Challenge 2 in October walking for more than 10 days to cover 100 kilometres within the sight of Mount Everest.

The dad-of-one, from Clayton Brook, near Preston, said: "The profits will be split fifty-fifty between adults and children in the UK and deaf children in Nepal.

"Deaf people in Nepal face the same problems as those in the UK, but they are multiplied many times as they are living in one of the world's poorest and least developed countries.

He added: "The most significant problem they face is isolation because they need to travel on foot between towns and villages and many deaf children from the hills never get the chance to meet a deaf adult.

"The money will be used to fund work with deaf children and their families to combat this isolation -- the aim will be for local deaf people to be employed to carry out this work."

Jimmy has already raised £1,280 but wants to reach the target of £3,000 by October 6 and is hoping that Citizen readers can help with raising funds by sponsoring him.

Jimmy, who became deaf at the age of four due to measles, has raised funds for a deaf club in Saltcoats, Scotland, walking 26 miles from Saltcoats to Largs and back.

Ten people in total, from all over the country, will be trekking in what will be phase 2 of the challenge -- the first time round Deafway managed to solely fund The National Federation of Deaf and Hard Hearing People and the Gandaki Association.

Jimmy said: "We will build on the relationships we have made with deaf charities in Nepal to establish further projects with the aim of giving deaf children in Nepal equality of access and opportunity to all aspects of life."

kbeaumont@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk