Dear Editor,
I am hoping your readers can help two young 16 year olds who were selected to come to England on a student exchange programme for 10 months who have been let down twice by families who promised to host them, then at the last moment changed their minds.
Fortunately one kind family in Newton Aycliffe stepped in at the last moment and offered to look after the girls for a short time until permanent host families could be found for the girls.
The girls are each studying four AS level at Durham 6th form college, and will take exams in May/June and then return home in mid June. The girls, Maya Olsen from Denmark and Lara Kersten from Germany did not know each other before they came to England. A family in School Aycliffe we thought  had come to their rescue, but a few days before they were due to leave they sent an email to say they had changed their mind.
I am looking for a someone who would welcome one or both girls into their family not as a guest or a lodger until the middle of June. The girls can share a room with a girl over 12 years old.
Host families come from all walks of life and can be any aged over 25, they can be a lady on her own or a large family or perhaps their own children have grown up and flown the nest.
Anyone who thinks they can help can get more details from me on  0191 410 9993. The organization which helped the youngsters achieve their dream, EF Foundation, is a non – profit organisation, however host families do get a food grant to help with the cost. Students have an allowance from their natural parents to cover bus fares, outings, clothes and toiletries, school lunches.
Gloria Williams