A GROUP of volunteers will walk five kilometres around Portishead marina on Friday, October 28, as part of their fundraising for school children in Africa.

Tanya Marriott, who runs Solelution shoe shop in Portishead High Street, collects pre-worn children’s shoes all year round and makes an annual trip with her family and a group of friends to deliver and personally fit the shoes for hundreds of children at Jolaurabi School, located in a poor area of Mombasa, Kenya.

Since 2017 SoleLution has collected second-hand school shoes donated by customers, to support Educate The Kids, a charity that helps children to a better future in Africa.

Tanya and her son George first travelled to Jolaurabi School in January 2018 to fit 300 donated pairs of shoes. They fell in love with the children and their families there and vowed to continue to support them, with their aim being to eventually provide shoes for all 800+ pupils at the school on an annual basis.

In 2019 and 2020 Tanya returned with her family and some friends with more shoes, but the pandemic put a stop to the 2021 visit.

They returned to Mombasa earlier this year and are currently raising funds for the next trip scheduled for February 2023.

Tanya said: “I will be returning to Jolaurabi School in February with my family and a group of friends who are regular volunteers and we will have 12 suitcases full of donated shoes to take with us.

"With rising costs around the globe, this time each suitcase will cost £150 to transport to Kenya and so we are fundraising to try and cover the cost. We have all forged strong links with this village of vulnerable people and have truly made a difference to their lives, as they have to ours.

"They are excited about our forthcoming visit and we won’t let them down.”

Plans are underway to bring the Jolaurabli School choir to Portishead in 2023 as part of the Singing Children of Africa fundraising tour of the UK.

To find out more or to support Tanya's fundraising visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sponsorasuitcase.