When Horfield youth worker Jenna Richards travels to New Zealand next month, she is bound to attract some strange glances.

It's not because the 22-year-old has the oversized backpack associated with most young travellers but rather because she will be wearing her pyjamas.

In what she is calling a 36,000ft slumber party Ms Richards will travel one 24-hour flight, endure four changeovers and a 10-hour wait in an airport, all in her favourite checked nightwear.

She said she thought the unusual fashion choice would provide a talking point among fellow passengers and give her a chance to raise awareness of health charity Diabetes UK.

After her grandmother died of diabetes-related complications, Ms Richards decided to travel to Auckland to visit her mother and raise some funds along the way.

Using Diabetes UK's new Challenge website she decided to add a little fun to her 34 hour-long journey and wear her favourite pyjamas for the entire trip.

She said: "I thought that it would be a good way to spark conversation. My flight makes two pit stops – in Dubai and Brunei. I will be waiting in Brunei airport for at least 10 hours, so I figured I could pass the time and tell people about Diabetes UK while I'm there."

Ms Richards has worked with a group of young people with Type 1 diabetes in the past, an experience she describes as "a real eye-opener" to the seriousness of diabetes and it's complications.

She added: "I hope not only to raise money for Diabetes UK, but to also raise awareness about the condition itself. People need to know that diabetes is serious and can lead to heart disease, strokes, kidney failure, blindness and amputations in some cases."

Jan Tyrrell, regional manager for Diabetes UK South West, said: "We're really grateful to Jenna for taking on this challenge – what an innovative way to raise awareness. We hope she'll get the chance to speak to many different people along the way about the seriousness of diabetes and how the work of Diabetes UK can help people living with the condition."

To sponsor Ms Richards on her challenge, which starts on December 7, visit the website www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk.