FIFTEEN girls from India are set to experience the trip of a lifetime after a boarding school raised enough money to fly them to the UK.

Students and staff at independent girls' boarding school Heathfield, in Ascot, have been working hard to raise funds to fly 15 girls from India to the UK for a life-changing two-week sport and education tour.

The initiative is part of the ‘Kick Like A Girl’ campaign set up by the OSCAR foundation, a charity spanning the UK and India which drives social change by encouraging gender equality in underprivileged communities through football and education.

Heathfield’s Director of Pastoral, Kathryn de Ferrer, met the girls in India in the early days of the project and was captivated by their overwhelmingly positive mindset and bubbly enthusiasm.

Back in the UK, Kathryn ran 100km to raise money, which was matched by the students, with each of the four houses running 25km each, together raising £2,000.

During their UK tour, the Under 17 Kick like a Girl team will not only have the chance to showcase their football talents in a series of friendly matches, but will also be immersed in a culture that cherishes and promotes girls’ education.

Their trip will also include sightseeing tours of iconic British landmarks and attractions.

Kathryn said: "’Kick Like A Girl’ resonates strongly with our school ethos of fostering confidence and belief to enable young women to go beyond their conceived abilities. Here at Heathfield we are passionate about helping girls stand up, stand out and live life to its fullest. It is an absolute privilege for our girls to be able to play a small part in empowering girls on the other side of the world to stay in education and build a positive future.”