Designs for charity (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Designs for charity

11:07am Thursday 9th August 2007 in Chard By Joanna Glover

A FORMER Chard student has won a competition to have a bag she designed sold to raise money for an overseas charity.

Portia Forster, 18, who attended school in Chard, Ilminster and Crewkerne, entered the competition for Hatti Trading through the hostel where she now lives in Swindon.

The charity promotes fair trade and supports survivors of trafficking and other stigmatised women in Nepal by providing a market in the UK for handicrafts they make.

The charity helps them make and sell bags and crafts to support themselves and their families.

Portia said: "I got involved in the charity through my hostel, for vulnerable girls.

"There were about six of us that were really interested as the girls we're raising money for are in a hostel too and we find it hard sometimes but they have it much worse."

Portia entered the competition to design a bag for the women to make and sell for a living, and won £50, a scarf and the bag she designed.

She also held a fashion show to help sell the bag and raise much needed funds for the charity.

She added: "To me it wasn't about winning, it was about helping to raise money for the charity."

Portia's bag will now be sold to help the women in Nepal.

Portia is hoping to travel to Nepal and visit the women she has helped, and will be holding various fundraising events to help fund the trip.

To help Portia in her fundraising call 07990641046.