A FORMER crack cocaine and heroin addict is raising money to fund a trip to Africa to help raise awareness of HIV and AIDS after a close friend died of the disease.

Joshua O'Shaughnessy, 21, searched online for ways to volunteer and discovered ICI Restless Development, a youth-led development agency working abroad.

However, he must first raise £800 from fundraising before he can visit Malawi or Sierra Leone and plans to hold comedy nights or music concerts where he’ll raise awareness of the disease.

He said: “My sister sings and attends a theatre school and I play the guitar so we may hold some music concerts.

“When this opportunity came up on the internet I was motivated to do it.”

His friend Alex passed away two years ago with HIV which he picked up sharing needles.

Joshua, originally from Slough, has since been clean for a year after completing his rehabilitation with Betel of Britain in Nottingham.

They are a Christian-lead organisation restoring the lives of homeless and unemployed people and Joshua has taken to Christianity as a result.

He works part-time but has always volunteered for several charities and continues to do so for SHOC, a Slough-based charity providing support to the homeless.

He now lives with his former rehab roommate Mark in High Wycombe who took him in when he needed a place to stay.

ICI Restless Development is an International Citizen Service funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development.

Volunteers work for 12 weeks and in locations all over the world, focussing in particular on issues surrounding sexual health, unemployment and other factors contributing towards poverty.

To donate to Joshua’s cause or to help organise an event, please call him on 07561 120589 or email joshoshaughnessy73@gmail.com.

Details of ICI Restless Development can be found at www.restlessdevelopment.org/.