A DARWEN youngster will make a splash when he takes on the Great North Swim on Saturday.

Darwen Aldridge Community Academy deputy head boy Travis Frain will swim a mile in Windermere to raise cash for a project in Africa.

Every year, a group of staff and pupils from DACA go to Uganda for the Afri-DACA project, which helps children in the poverty-stricken region.

Next year’s trip in February will see 17 students and three staff from the Sudell Road school fly to Uganda for the project, in conjunction with the charity Retrak, which requires £16,000 of funding to be raised.

Travis, 16, of Dewhurst Close, said: “I am currently studying and taking part in my final GCSE exams at the academy.

“The money will go towards supporting children in Africa, where we aim to make a positive impact on the lives of people over there and also put into perspective our own lives in comparison to theirs.

“I have been training twice a week by swimming a mile in Salford Quays, in temperatures of about 12 degrees Celsius, to prepare myself.”

Mum Angela, who works at the school, said: “I am so proud of Travis for not only doing the swim on Saturday but also all the training he has done in the cold water on sessions when it has been pouring with rain.

“He has been going straight from school on Wednesday night to Manchester training, and at 8am on Saturdays in the Quays then straight back to Darwen to attend the revision sessions at the academy.”

Travis has already raised £300. To sponsor him, visit www.justgiving.com/ travis-frain