DARRENERS Liam Davies and Pete Dunkerley have been chosen to join a char-ity trip to Gambia in Jan-uary.

Darwen Town Council agreed to sponsor two places on the annual trip after a deal was struck to twin the town with a city in the African country.

It comes as Gambia has announced it is to leave the Commonwealth, with leaders branding it a ‘neo-colonial institution’.

The council agreed to fund up to £1,200 each for two Darwen young people to join the trip to Lamin, in return for their support at town events throughout the year.

And after Darwen Spart-ans Junior Football Club president Mark Atkinson conducted interviews, Liam and Pete were selected to join the trip.

Mr Atkinson, who leads the annual trips to Gambia, in conjunction with char-ity Football Gambia, said the two boys had impr-essed, and would be an asset to the trip.

Speaking at Darwen Town Council, he said: “Liam and Pete have both worked within local football clubs and have promised to come on board with coun-cil events.

“This is something that can be built on and devel-oped going forward.”

Pete, 23, a former pupil of Darwen Vale High School, said: “I do a lot of coaching and volunteer work, and I currently work with jun-iors at New Gardners FC.

“I have done fundraising events in the past and wor-ked in the community.”

Liam, 19, a student at Darwen Aldridge Commun- ity Academy Sixth Form, said: “I volunteer with the S7 Multi Sports Academy, and also help at Junior Gardners.

“We are both really look-ing forward to the trip, and think it could be very ben-eficial to us both.”

A twinning ceremony has been arranged to take place next week, at Darwen Academy.

The event, on Wednes-day, will run from 7pm to 9pm, and a video will be shown of life in Lamin.

There will also be an explanation of why the twinning has occurred.

An Africa-themed party will then take place, from 9.30pm, at The Bridgewater pub, in Church Street.

The charity trips, org-anised annually by Foot-ball Gambia, see the young people provide foo-tball coaching sessions, while also carrying out tasks such as helping to build schools and hosp-itals.

A twinning ceremony will be held in Lamin in January.