Celebrating Gap Africa and SCES

The Shiplake College Expedition Society (SCES) has been celebrating 25 years since its founding this year. The Expedition Society has long had ties with charity Gap Africa, and summer expeditions to Kenya are often organised with the charity. Gap Africa is a charity which supports schools in Kenya, aiming to build a better future for Kenyan communities through the relief of poverty and hardship, and placing a particular emphasis on the enhancement of education. To celebrate this landmark, a fundraising dinner was held at the College on 21 May.

The evening was a resounding success; Gap Africa chairman and founder Marcel Wagner joined Mr Darius Bluck and Mrs Jenny Nunes, who had organised the black tie dinner. The evening started with a champagne reception, which was followed by a sumptuous three course dinner, and port to finish. Marcel gave a speech about the dream that made Gap Africa a reality; already volunteering in Africa, the charity was set up by a team with many years’ experience in taking books and stationery to schools, and raising funds for some of the poorest people in Africa. With a growing list of work, it seemed a natural progression to open a charity, and it was grown ever since. Following this, the Expedition Society got involved with the charity, accompanying them on trips to Kenya and the relationship is now a very strong one. The aim of this dinner was not only to celebrate 25 years of this, but also to raise the profile of the charity and raise funds for the Kikunduku Secondary School. The charity has played a crucial role in the building and development of the primary school. The secondary school will enable more children in the area to go to secondary school. Currently, pupils need to pay boarding fees to go to school outside their local area, which is incredibly costly and many children end up not able to go to school as a result.

As well as enjoying a delicious dinner, the evening also included entertainment from Year 12 pupils Quin Wagner-Piggott and Marcus Bagshawe, followed by an exquisite opera performance, from international singer Nazan Fikret, and attendees enjoyed dancing after dinner. To raise further funds, framed photographs could also be bought. The dinner raised nearly £2000 for Gap Africa, and a further four pupils have been sponsored through full completion of their secondary school placement – a fantastic result! Congratulations to organisers Mr Bluck, Mrs Nunes and Marcel, for a wonderful and successful event! Find Gap Africa on Twitter here and on Facebook here.