A Rickmansworth teenager will be hula hooping for five hours to raise money to for a development project in Bangladesh.

Amy Carmichael, of Berry Lane, will be taking part in the challenge on Saturday, in an effort to raise £1,500.

She has been selected to work on a development project in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, in Bangladesh, as part of a government-run Department for International Development scheme, called International Citizen Service.

The 19-year-old said: "I have always been really interested with development work. I would like to go into it in the future. This opportunity will allow me to live in a different culture for three months and hopefully make a real difference to people’s lives."

The Trinamul Unnayan Sangstha (TUS) is a development agency, founded by people from the Chittagong Hill Tracts to improve the lives of the communities in the area.

Miss Carmichael will stay with a host family and will be managing her own project.

She said: "The great thing about this project is it’s all about working with the local community to try and come up with long-term solutions."

The former Watford Grammar School for Girls pupil, who is interning at the Liberal Democrats' headquarters, has secured a place at Cambridge University to study Human, Social and Political science next year.

Speaking on why she decided to hula hoop to raise money for the project, she said: "When I was a child it was something I enjoyed. I’m not a very sporty person naturally, so I wanted to test myself and set myself a bit of a challenge.

"The great thing is it definitely gets people interested and gets people to listen. I wanted it to be a test and I want to feel like I have worked hard."

Miss Carmichael, who has been training for about two months, building up her strength and stomach muscles, hula hooped for three and a half hours last weekend.

Other fundraising ideas she has had have been selling recycled gifts, such as purses made from drinks cartons and glasses cases made from ties. 

Miss Carmichael will have five-minute intervals each hour to allow for toilet and water breaks.

She plans to leave for the three-month project on January 18. With the government contributing around £8,000 towards the cost of the programme, she needs to raise a further £1,500. 

For more information or to sponsor her efforts, visit www.justgiving.com/amycarmichael