THIS Country star Daisy May Cooper has lent her backing to a charity that helps underprivileged children go on outdoor education trips.

The actor got involved after boss Ben Maxfield took an expedition camping Northleach in the Cotswolds.

He told the Adver: They were filming This Country in a garden. So, I actually messaged her on Instagram using a friend’s account with a blue tick. She read it, thought it sounded amazing and much to my surprise, sent a reply back.

“We recently interviewed her and she has really supported us and our project. She talked about her experience at school and how she felt ostracised but how important it is children don’t miss out on school trips. We’re doing some other stuff with her like fundraising. Hopefully, it will be a long-term partnership with her involved.”

In her interview she said “Our parents got hit quite badly by the recession, so it was an awful time. If any school trips were announced, I would think I’m not going to be able to afford this. So, you would take your bit of paper home and obviously mum and dad would say no you can’t go.

“It felt like all the poorest kids were being left behind. We ended up staying at school doing work while all our peers went on this amazing trip. We did work experience at the local Tesco.

“I would stand outside the school and see everybody really excited on that big Stagecoach bus off to the Eurotunnel to go on these amazing adventures and you felt completely ostracised. It was awful. Especially because it’s so important when you’re young, small things are massively important."

Ben, of Whittington Road, started his firm BXM Expeditions 10 years ago and this year launched the charity BXM Inspired after finding out around 27 per cent of young people dropped out of outdoor educational trips and programmes like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award due to the cost.

“With school trips we wanted to make the outdoors cheaper for people. It’s very expensive, you’ve got all the equipment so the backpack, coat, walking boots and that’s not even including the trip itself. We worked with Swindon schools to get the cost down,” the 36-year-old said.

“We have raised money through businesses, donations or grants. Children or parents can apply for equipment which we can provide or they can apply for funding. Children need to feel they can get outside. I myself was able to dedicate time to my passion for opening up windows for even more children to not miss out.

The charity has an independent board of trustees including TV survival specialist Meg Hine, the CEO of the Anvil group, John Greenslade and the ex-chief of staff for the Royal Household, Tim Roberts.

“We are currently raising funds to not only support children who need funding but also put together specific programmes for young people as a post-lockdown intervention to tackle mental health issues and anxieties head on. The important thing is we get the message out this is available and invest in young people’s mental health.”

“For all of our projects we of course need money which we welcome as donations but we are also really keen to work with businesses who can become involved. We need people to invest to create something incredible and help more and more children.”

Visit bxminspired.co.uk for details.