A teenage couple from the Devizes area will be helping communities in poverty overseas for a volunteering project.

Sophie Taylor, 19, of Yard Lane, Bromham, and her boyfriend Charlie Coleman, 18, of Church Lane, Worton, are doing three-month stints with international development charity VSO.

Both are on a gap year and Miss Taylor will be working in Zambia from the end of this month, while Mr Coleman will be working in Bangladesh from the end of February.

The couple have been busy raising £1,500 each for VSO, including a well-attended coffee morning and cake sale at Mr Coleman’s house and bag packing at various supermarkets in Devizes, including at Sainsbury on Friday where they raised £400 between them.

Their placements with VSO are being paid for by the International Citizen Service.

Miss Taylor said: “I wanted to get involved with a charity project in my gap year and I chose VSO because it’s a renowned organisation and so valuable to developing countries. I feel excited and a bit nervous, I’ve not done anything like it before.”

Mr Coleman said: “VSO appealed to me because they are so well respected, and what I do will be very valuable work and it will make a real difference to people’s lives.”

Both will be staying with host families in their respective countries and both understand they will be working on health care projects.

The couple have been together for three years after meeting at Lavington School in Market Lavington and they both attended the sixth form at St John’s School, Marlborough.

They both work as life guards at Melksham Blue Pool. After their gap years they will be going to university, Miss Taylor to study psychology and Mr Coleman to study international relations.

To donate to their fundraising, go to www.justgiving .com/Sophie-Taylor14 or send a text to 70700 with the donation code ZZAM87, followed by a cash amount. Alternatively, go to www.just giving.com/Charlie-Coleman or text 70070 with the donation code BAND87.