Photography student Megan Stanton takes pictures for weekend clubbers' website seenmyf@ce, which is devoted to customers at Atlantic, Vibe and Dusk, in the town centre.

The 18-year-old now plans to spend her summer on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, helping with a nature conservation project, managed by the charity Azafady (which means "please" in Madagasy).

But Megan, from South Shields, who is studying for her A-levels at South Tyneside College, has to raise about £2,000 to fund her own flights and living expenses for the month-long trip.

So the teenager – who also writes a weekly student-life column for the Gazette – is turning to the clubbers, whose weekend fun she helps to capture on seenmyf@ce, for help.

And with support from the Actual Leisure Group, which operates Atlantic, Vibe, Dusk, The Mile and seenmyf@ce, she is staging a series of "spare change" charity collections outside the three town centre venues.

"I'm asking people to donate whatever spare change they can,
to help me pay for the trip," she said.

"I did my first collection a little while ago, and a lot of people were very generous, but I didn't get anywhere near my target, so I'll be doing a couple more, to try and raise the money.

"The people I photograph for seenmyf@ce seem nice, so I'm hoping they'll support me, and maybe donate a bit of spare change – all donations gratefully received."

Megan's mission is to help conserve the animals of Madagascar – which is off the south-east corner of Africa – including lemur monkeys.

Part of the work will also involve helping to build an animal reserve.

Look out for her and her collection helpers outside Atlantic, Vibe and Dusk on Saturday night.

Actual Leisure area manager Glen Winlow hopes customers at the four Actual Leisure venues will back the teenager.

He said: "Someone of Megan's age, looking to do some good in the world, deserves our support."