TWO telecom engineers are embarking on a sponsored bike ride to raise funds for a life-changing charity trip to South America.

Adel El Asla and Bilal Baig, both 22, work for BT Broadband Exchange, in Gordon Road, Wanstead, and aim to build a medical centre in the Lima slums and water collection facilities in a remote Andean village.

The pair of 22-year-olds need to raise more than £7,000 between them by September 1 and set off on a 20km sponsored bike ride from Alexandra Palace to St Paul's Cathedral this Sunday.

Mr Baig said: "So far we have received good support from colleagues and family and friends, but what we really need is the kind support of our local community.

"Every contribution will take us that step closer to reaching our target of providing the less fortunate with the basic needs they need to survive.

"To reach our targets, we have organised a sponsored 20km charity bike ride that we have named Pedal for Peru.

"It is for people of all abilities and we already have mums, sisters and friends eager to participate."

Last year a group of 40 apprentices and managers travelled out to Kenya to build a school in a remote village stricken by poverty.

This years project is to raise over £130,000 as a group to build a medical centre in the heart of the Lima slums just outside the capital.

The medical centre would secure the placement of doctors by the Government and serve five communities and the 2,000 inhabitants of that area.

They also plan to build water collection facilities in the remote village of Misiminay in the Andes.

This community has very limited access to fresh water which affects the growth of the children and well-being of the whole community.

The pair have a Charity Giving webpage where people can donate online.

Charity Giving will reclaim gift aid tax on every donation, meaning around 25 per cent extra cash for the cause.

Visit charitygiving.co.uk/adel-bilal to support their cause.