Shepton Mallet's kindness gives African children a lift

Shepton Mallet based charity SOS Africa has celebrated its 9th birthday by being able to offer the children it works for a much needed lift to school, all thanks to local groups and charities.

Special thanks was given to Shepton Mallet Rotary Club and to the local media who came together to support a charity abseil (described here) after a fraudster left them bitterly disappointed last year.  

SOS Africa works to raise money to support African township children, through supporting their education.  Work has been going on for the past 9 months to address the increasing need for transport to get those children safely to school and now, in what has been described as a tremendous relief to SOS Africa volunteers, they have taken delivery of their own school minibus.

Jenny Matthews, SOS Africa's South African Operations Manager (and designated bus driver!) said that the bus's first trip through Lonely Park Township took longer than expected.  "We kept getting people stopping us to wish us well and to congratulate us."  Then when the SOS Africa school bus pulled up outside the school gates for the very first time, she said that she "struggled to get the kids out of the vehicle; they were just so thrilled to be in their own bus!"

To commemorate their 9th birthday, SOS Africa will also be releasing a video next week.  More details can be found on facebook.