HOLMES Chapel and Knutsford fire cadets have met with a Nepalese Sherpa to ready themselves for their trip to the South Asian country later this year.

Last week, Dawa Geljen visited a team of 17 fire cadets and nine leaders going out to Nepal in October, where they will finish off building a school for village children.

Knutsford cadets, Lois Beeson and Jessica Healey, and Holmes Chapel cadets, Jordan Logan, Jessica Lee, Jessica Leighton, Ryan Lysycia, and Lydia Stanley-Dale, are among the throng.

Dawa is a mountaineering guide and trustee of Classrooms in the Clouds, who work to build classrooms for village children in Nepal.

The 47-year-old will be leading October’s expedition and informed the cadets on what to expect from the trek to the village of Thulodhunga.

Dawa said: “It’s a great honour for me to come to the UK and meet the team in person. It’s the first time that Classrooms in the Clouds will have worked with such a large group.

“The young people have worked really hard to raise this money for a country and people that they don’t know, but they will leave with a better understanding of different cultures and most importantly, they will leave knowing that they have made a real difference to many young lives in Nepal, both now and in the future.

“These Cheshire Fire Cadets are a fine example of their generation and their parents and leaders should be very proud of their commitment and dedication to the project.”

The new eight classroom school, which is to replace an inadequate 25-year-old building, will be finished off by the cadets, after local trades people have built the structure. The cadets will also be able to attend the official opening before they head back home.

Nick Evans, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service youth and community cohesion manager, will be accompanying the group.

He said: “It’s been great for the cadets to meet Dawa and hear about his experiences. His visit has made the trip real and we remain determined to raise the £60,000 to enable us to build this school.

“The money will be used for flights and to buy all materials to build the school and finish it to a good standard. The children need a better and safer place in which to learn and we can help with that. Dawa’s visit has been a great boost for us all.”