It was a holiday in Kenya that led a couple from St Peter’s, Gildersome to set up a charity which has now been chosen as this year’s featured charity on the Real Advent Calendar (which is endorsed by TV presenter Diane Louise Jordan and made by the company behind The Real Easter Egg).
The Funzi & Bodo Trust runs medical clinics and schools in Funzi Island and the village of Bodo in Kenya and was set up by Ashley and Sara Peatfield (pictured left & right). Ashley says, “This is a fantastic breakthrough for a small local charity. As well as bringing us £10,000 to equip our baby clinic, it will give us a national profile as the calendar is sold through Tesco and church Traidcraft stalls across the country.
Ashley adds, “It couldn’t have come at a better time as we’re facing huge pressure. A travel ban on Kenya because of terrorist fears has meant people are losing their meagre tourism-related jobs, so, as they now can’t afford medical care, they’re walking huge distances to reach the free medical help we provide, and we consequently face spiralling medicine bills.”
It was a holiday in Kenya over 20 years ago that led Ashley and Sara to set up the charity. They visited the exquisitely beautiful Funzi Island but were shocked by the poverty of the local people. Several years later they returned with funds to rebuild the disused medical clinic and employ a nurse. They then set up the Funzi & Bodo Trust, and now, eight years later, it has built two clinics, a birthing room, two schools, two libraries, a computer training centre and has provided clean water and sanitation.
But keeping the charity going means non-stop fund raising, and so Ashley and Sara spend their weekends baking 250 cakes to sell at St Peter’s. Ashley (who is Editor of the religious output of all BBC local radio stations), says, “Paying for the nurses and medicine is a constant anxiety as we know that if we don’t get enough money in, people will be in pain or may even die, and the families of our 11 local employees would be severely affected if their jobs were lost. But against that stress it’s brilliant to see lives saved and people given education and opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have”.
The charity and the calendar (which is made by the Meaningful Chocolate Company), are endorsed by TV presenter Diane Louise Jordan. She says, “Not only is the calendar educational and made from Fairtrade chocolate but it’s a great opportunity to raise funds to help support The Funzi and Bodo Trust baby clinic. The clinic is doing an amazing job by offering medical care and educational opportunities - which will give children the chance of a better future."
Vicar of St Peter’s, Canon Felicity Lawson, says, “It’s an amazing story of one couple responding to human need and the fantastic fruit that’s come from that: along with the clinics and schools they’ve set up a birthing room and bought a boat for medical emergencies.”
If you’d like to support the Funzi & Bodo Trust, go to www.funzi.org.uk or contact Ashley Peatfield, 0113 2526513, who is also happy to come and talk to church groups.
About the Real Advent Calendar - As well as the charitable donation, The Real Advent Calendar has a Christmas story-activity booklet, 25 Fairtrade Belgian chocolates and a line of the Christmas story behind each of the windows. David Marshall, from The Meaningful Chocolate Company, said: 'By buying this calendar people can share the Christmas story throughout December, which we think is important as we know that detailed knowledge of the Christmas story is very low amongst children and parents.'
The calendar costs £3.99 and can be bought direct from www.realadvent.co.uk (free delivery offer). Retailers include larger Tesco stores, Traidcraft, Eden, Shared Earth, CLC and some cathedrals.
The Meaningful Chocolate Company - has donated more than £140,000 to charitable projects. It also makes The Real Easter Egg - the only Easter Egg to explain the story of Easter. Contact: David Marshall 07834 320120, david@meaningfulchocolate.co.uk
The Funzi and Bodo Trust - The donation made from sales of The Real Advent Calendar will help improve clinic facilities for hundreds of mums and their babies on Funzi Island. The clinic provides ante- and post-natal care, immunisations, baby weighing and growth monitoring. If mums or babies fall sick there are always medical staff on hand to help. See www.funzi.org.uk