A Rickmansworth business leader has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of a charity which offers education to children in Africa.

John Newcomb, chief executive of the Builders Merchants Federation, has joined the leadership of The Educational Frontier Trust (TEFT).

As a UK registered charity, TEFT aids the educational needs of struggling and vulnerable children in Kenya.

Newcomb's role will involve managing partnerships and event-based fundraising for the Kisima School, a charity-supported institution, located 150 miles from Nairobi.

This school educates 160 children on a purpose-built, five-acre site, offering the chance to improve their lives through academic achievement.

Newcomb has been a Kisima School supporter for 11 years, raising more than £25,000 through activities such as sponsored cycles and prize auctions.

He has also backed the education of four students in Kenya, both personally and through the BMF.

John said: "The work at Kisima School is something I feel passionately about.

"I am looking forward to increasing opportunities for the pupils there and amplifying the message and raising funds to provide life-changing chances to young people in Kenya."

TEFT will leverage Newcomb's fundraising expertise, which has inspired the building materials sector to collect more than £500,000 for charities since 2018.

Beneficiaries include the British Heart Foundation, Band of Builders, Teenage Cancer Trust, 'Variety, the Children's Charity', Mental Health UK, and Samaritans.

Newcomb has established charity alliances to underpin future campaigns, including aiding victims of the Turkish and Syrian earthquake - raising £18,880.

He also led a Europe-wide campaign for the building materials sector, gathering £70,000 and three tonnes of aid for Ukraine.

Richard Walton of TEFT, said: "John has already played a big part in our success and we are very pleased to have him join the board.

"He is committed to all we are doing at TEFT to build for the future and will bring a lot of expertise and insight in his new role."

Further information on Kisima School can be found on the TEFT website, with options to sponsor a student offered.