From small acorns, mighty oaks grow – and this has certainly been the case for local charity, the Norton Down Africa Fund. When local photographer, Christine Button, visited Kenya on a birthday trip with her husband, little did she know then that it would be the beginning of a project that has so far seen three new nurseries opened for children in Kisumu, Kenya.

On her return from Kenya in 2004, Christine, who had been moved by the vast amount of poverty she had seen, set about collecting pencils, pens and school stationery, which she sent to contacts established whilst in Africa. In Mombasa, Christine had met an inspirational young man, Cosmas Shikkuku, who wanted to help vulnerable young people struggling with poverty.

Christine returned to Africa in 2005, the year in which the Norton Down Africa Fund was founded – with friends at Norton Down Methodist Church supporting her vision and helping her initially with a year of fundraising, beginning with a Flower Festival at the church. The charity was officially registered in 2006, and a small committee formed to look after it.

Links with St Philips and St James' Church in Bath, who were already active at African School, Glenburnie Butega, sent a missionary group to Uganda in 2007. Members of Norton Down Methodist Church self-funded their trip and joined them to find out what would be of most need when fundraising for their own charity. Whilst there, the group worked on a project alongside a Bristol-based company called Solar Sense, who helped to build a well to provide fresh water for the school. After all of their hard work, the group were upset to find out on their return that the solar panels and pump that had supplied the well had later been stolen. So, further fundraising began to buy a portable pump. A parcel of land was also bought by the charity to allow vegetables to be grown at the school and encourage self-sufficiency.

The Norton Down Africa Fund opened its first Nursery in 2008. The charity decided to help set up nurseries as Kenyan children are unable to go to Government Primary schools unless they have attended a nursery first. This is something that many families find financially difficult, which then leads to children never being able to enter into education. 'Alice B's Nursery' was opened in memory of a Norton Down Methodist Church member. The nursery accommodates thirty children, and when the building is not being in use for schooling, it is used as a church.

A year later, in 2009, 'Norton Down Nursery' was also opened in the area. Norton Down Methodist Church have supported the local economy by donating money for the two schools to buy local produce at Harvest, and a local seamstress was encouraged to make aprons to sell locally.

The children are provided with breakfast each day, bowls to wash with, teaching aids, a school uniform and gifts at Christmas.

In 2010, Christine's Nursery was also opened, allowing another thirty children to start their education.

Cosmas, the young man Christine had met back in 2004, was helped to go to college and gain a Diploma, which meant he could open the Norton Down Aids Awareness Centre in 2010, which is attached to a local church and provides testing and information for Aids/HIV.

Much has been achieved since Christine's first visit to Africa in 2004, with the Norton Down Africa Fund now aiming to open another nursery in 2014. Each nursery costs £700 a year to run, with costs including a teaching salary, breakfast for the children, school stationery and interview costs for entry into Government Primary School.

The Norton Down Africa Fund will be meeting for its AGM on Monday, 21st October and new Trustees would be very welcome. If you are keen to volunteer, you will need to be interested in charity work and be able to help organise fundraising events and attend informal meetings. If you would like to find out more, please contact Christine Button on: 01761 414067.

Since forming, the charity have sent £27,290 to help children in Africa – a remarkable achievement.