EIGHT people have the chance to join staff from a Bicester firm on a trip to change orphans’ lives.

Twenty-two people will travel to Nepal in September to spend a fortnight building a water tank.

The tank will ensure villagers in Rampur, including children who live in a nearby orphanage, have clean drinking water and improved sanitation.

Currently villagers have to travel several miles to collect water.

The trip has been organised by Brita, in Granville Way, Bicester, with the help of conservation charity Greenforce and the Rural Community Development Programme of Nepal.

Fourteen staff from the Brita group will travel and the firm will meet half the trip’s costs, £22,000.

The remaining eight places are up for grabs and staff and volunteers must raise the other £22,000 through fundraising events.

Brita marketing director Neal Jones said: “Inviting our consumers to participate not only enables this larger group to increase the benefit to the community in Nepal, but will also increase awareness of the plight of such communities.”

The group flies to Kathmandu on September 26, and will have a couple of days to acclimatise before the hard work starts.

During their time in Rampur the group will live with villagers.

Once the water tank has been built the team will head to the Royal Chitwan Park and elephant safari for a few days’ relaxation.

Managing director David Banfield, from Witney, said: “It’s an opportunity to make a difference, individually and collectively.”

Vincent Davie-Crook, 36, from Bicester, said: “I’m delighted to be able to take part as this type of trip is usually limited to younger people who don’t have the responsibilities of a job and family.”

Helen Cadwallader, 39, from Adderbury, near Banbury, said: “I know that we will be able to achieve what we set out to do and make a real difference to the villagers in Nepal.”

Rebecca Widdowson, 37, of Witney, added: “For me it’s the opportunity to make a difference.”

Quality control manager Richard Andrews, 31, of Brackley, said: “We just take water for granted in this country but seeing the distance people in Nepal have to travel to collect water, this project will really make a difference.”

Anyone interested in joining the group should email nepal2010@brita.co.uk Staff at Brita are holding a charity car wash at its office in Granville Way on Saturday, March 27, from 10am-2pm.