This will be the third year that the pair will travel to Nakuru in Kenya to spend eight days working at a local school - helping improve conditions for the pupils and their families.

Derby County Community Trust celebrate their 13th visit this year with over 75 volunteers joining them - making this one of the biggest trip from a football club across the country. They have worked in partnership with African Adventures taking over 500 volunteers over the years.

Sharon and Natalie will revisit rural school ‘Cherish’ where, in previous years, the work schedule included helping the school’s cook, digging foundations for a perimeter wall and dining hall, painting classrooms and creating a new playground for the children.

Rams In Kenya

Sharon explained: “Following our two previous trips, both Natalie and I knew we needed to go back to Nakuru as there was unfinished business.

“Construction at Cherish has continued in 24 months since we visited so we hope to be rolling up our sleeves to paint a brand new classroom and hopefully move the kitchen into a more permanent building.

“The children there are the happiest we’ve ever met and they made all of the physical work far less exhausting and every single moment worthwhile. We also loved understanding and learning about their culture and lives.

“Whatever project we are assigned, we expect to be taken out of our comfort zones and are looking forward to the challenge but also to making new friends and learning new skills.”

Special Thank You For Local Support

“Between us, we have had to raise over £4.5k and have had a superb response from the local business community again – particularly Timms Solicitors, Cactus Images, Chevin Homes, White Peak Wealth Management, Work Wallet, threeguru and Hague Print who will all be sponsoring our T-shirts.

DCCT Support

Sharon continued: “I have been involved with Derby County Community Trust for many years now and have seen the fabulous work they do in our local communities and beyond.

“Every year, at their annual awards evening, I am overwhelmed to hear the incredible stories of resilience, determination and kindness from both staff and volunteers. It made me question why on earth I wasn’t going back to Kenya again. It was a no brainer really.

“It is also great to know that a proportion of our fundraising stays here in Derby for the Trust to use towards some of their projects and programmes on the doorstep.”

Here is a flavour of what we got up to last time: https://www.facebook.com/DerbyCountyCommunityTrust/videos/rams-in-kenya-22-cherish/5208184369266647/