Students from the Whitelands Academy in Bicester have raised a record amount of £4,150 for a Thai orphanage.

The year nine students raised the money by volunteering in Bangkok as part of the Government’s Turing Scheme.

The HDF Mercy Centre was founded by Father Joe Maier in 1974 to provide education to orphans and neglected children in the slums of Bangkok, and is still providing the same service today.

The orphanage is in Bangkok’s deprived port area.

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Upon receiving the donation from the students, Father Joe said: “We are very grateful for all your hard work and this generous donation.

"This will mean more deprived and orphaned children can go to school and gain an education."

Vice principal Bertie Lyall added: “Our students worked so hard to raise this money to support the fantastic work with orphans and deprived students of Father Joe and his team."

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Mr Julian Vennis, director of World City Links, said: “[The students] have spent days in their partner school, visiting an elephant sanctuary as part of a conservation programme and on their final day are volunteering to teach in this orphanage.

"In the 22 years of World City Links we have not seen such a brilliant fundraising effort, and it is a joy to see the effect it has on the young children here."