A CREATIVE writer and keen Morris dancer from Woodchester will be on her way to lead a summer camp for deprived Roma children in June.

Rachael Hill is heading to a village in rural Romania near Tirgu Mures made of mud huts and without access to running water as part of a project run by Leeds Beckett University.

The Romani or Roma, are a traditionally nomadic ethnic group, living mostly in Europe and the Americas and originating from the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent.

As well as leading the camp activities the 22-year-old, who is author of the fantasy series Clara on Channillo.com, will take part in community work helping in a soup kitchen.

“What attracted me to the project in the first place, apart from the obvious excitement of getting to work in another country, was the play work element of it,” said Rachael who is part of a team of eight going to the country to lead activities, sports, games, arts and crafts and free play for two weeks.

“Play work is vital to children as through play they naturally learn important life skills such as communication, negotiation, team work, problem solving, resilience, tenacity and solving disputes.”

Rachael has never done anything of this sort before and as a result she has been researching the socio-economic situation in Romania in depth.

“Having looked more into the country since joining the project I have been surprised and appalled at the conditions in which the Roma population live,” she said.

“Romania has one of the worst cases of social stigma in Europe, this is between the Romanians and the Roma people, who are widely and openly shunned throughout the country.

“Although Romania is part of the EU in many of its rural areas and Roma villages people live in the utmost poverty, in mud huts with little or no running water, electricity or sanitation.

“The Roma children often do not make it to school and when they do they are generally segregated from their Romanian counterparts and regularly bullied by them.

“I believe that every child deserves the chance to learn and grow in a happy and supportive environment and my heart goes out to the children living in these conditions in Romania that struggle in such a way.

“By taking part in this project I hope to help bring them the chance to play, to grow, to discover skills and the confidence to take these skills with them, in a friendly and creative environment.”

Rachael hopes to fundraise at least £850 to put towards her trip and to buy a wide range of resources to take with her which are difficult to access in the country.

Items she hope to take include children's clothing for ages six-nine and small musical instruments.

To arrange to donate items email Rachael on rachaelanna93@gmail.com or to sponsor her visit her crowdfunding page http://bit.ly/1Nkvddk