15-year-old just hundreds from fundraising goal to get him on a Peru expedition this summer

Kieran Ashfield is nearing his £5,450 target and has carried out a variety of sports challenges, bake sales and raffles to allow him to partake in conservation work abroad.

He feels particularly passionate about working on a range of sustainable and meaningful community projects during his four-week expedition. This will include building toilet houses and medical centres, as well as assisting children with their homework.

Kieran’s online fundraising page was set up the same day that a speaker from Camp International visited his school to tell them about the experiences they host.

The trip is planned for July this year and his mother Heather Ashfield provided an update on Kieran’s fundraising efforts to this newspaper.

“He is doing really well and is at the final stage of fundraising for his vaccinations and kit,” said Heather. “Kieran’s changed so much as a person over the past year.

“He used to be really shy around new people and now he’s so grateful to everybody for their support, he is happy to reach out to thank them.”

Kieran’s last fundraising event will be a training session he has designed, and he has been going along to his mother’s fitness classes for inspiration.

There is hoped to be between 30 and 50 adults in attendance at Kieran’s training session next month. Though he is nervous, he is excited to give it a go and put the attendees through their paces.

When asked how proud she is of Kieran for the determination he has shown over the past year, Heather said: “I don’t think there’s words. He’s showing everybody the boy that I know – this outgoing, crazy little thing. He’s showing the world what he’s got to offer.”

The 15-year-old is already keeping an eye out for updates from young people who have been on other expeditions to Peru – and Heather admitted she is nervous to say goodbye to her son for a month this summer.

“I’m immensely proud,” she continued. “When he told me he was going to raise £5,000 himself, I wondered how I was going to manage his expectations. But he’s gone for it and put his mind to this.”

What has already hit home for Kieran, and what he is most looking forward to during his trip, is meeting the children and gifting them things they might not otherwise have.

To support Kieran Ashfield, you can visit and donate to his online fundraising page here.