Who:
Members of the Fluid Branding Team, along with friends and family.
When:
Friday 9th June 2017
The Challenge:
A 2.5k run across the Charlestown/Carlyon Bay coastal path, followed by a 10 laps of the famous Charlestown Harbour, a leap from the harbour wall into the water, and finished with a swim from the east to the west beaches.
Last year we raised £5,000 to build a new kitchen and classroom at the St Michaels Nursery, Rongai, Kenya. This year we are visiting Rongai to help complete the kithcne and classroom, along with a number of other social and educational projects.
The nursery and it's ongoing development have come about due to the passion and efforts of Ross and Lauren Sundercombe, trustee's of the Vanessa Grant Trust.
Ross is a close friend of both Matt and Miles, the owners of Fluid Branding, spending three years as Sales Manager at the company. Over the years, Fluid have donated towards the construction of the St Michaels Nursery along with many other related projects.
The Story:
In 2006 Ross & Lauren Sundercombe visited the small town of Rongai in Kenya, 3 hours northwest of the Capital Nairobi. They have returned every year since on a continued mission to bring aid and support this small rural community. During their visits they've coordinated various projects geared towards healthcare, education, sports, childcare, construction and special needs to name a few. One of their biggest achievements was the constructions of the St Michaels Nursery, a building constructed to serve as a modern, safe educational facility for the young children on Rongai.
In 2010 Ross and Lauren were walking through a small field in Rongai when they heard the sound of young voices. Around the corner they came upon a small wooden shack with a tin roof. To their amazement there were about 100 children inside the shed, sat on the floor looking at their teacher Agnes. It turned out to be Rongai Nursery. Both Ross and Lauren spent the next few days helping out at the nursery, playing with the children and helping Agnes.
The next evening Ross and Lauren discussed the possibility of buying a parcel of land, building a new nursery and creating a safer and more suitable facility for Anges and her pupils. The idea would require fundraising, lots of planning, a construction team and a lot of patience. So 12 months later Ross and Lauren had raised 25k to secure the purchase of the land and the construction of a new nursery for Rongai. In the May of 2011 both Ross and Lauren returned to Kenya for 4 months. During this time they purchased the land, hired over 20 local builders, drew up plans and helped build the nursery itself, ready for Agnes to start the 2011/2012 year in a brand new building. The building has 2 large classrooms, a store room and toilets facilities along with a vegetable patch and small garden. Many more children have joined the nursey since, and a sponsorship program is now in place to support the poorest families who can’t afford the school fees. There are now 140 children attending the school.
The nursery has grown from strength the strength and due to high demand, there is now a requirement for a kitchen and new classroom to be built, with a large play area, new desks and other learning facilities.