Thame pub duo prepare to plant a forest in Africa

THE manager and deputy of a popular Thame restaurant and pub will this Saturday take their seats on a plane to Kenya to do their bit in a campaign to help save the frontiers of the Maasai Mara Reserve, one of the natural wonders of the world.

Eveline Rae (Left) and Serena Toh practice a bit of spade work at The Thatch, Thame

Evelin Rae will  join Serena Toh, who earned her place on the trip last year, by making it a fruitful 12 months for The Thatch, in Thame, both in trading and in picking up accolades, and both are looking forward to the challenge. As part of their trip, the girls will sleep under canvas whilst helping to plant a forest – 20,000 trees in a week –  in a new conservancy project on the Enonkishu Conservancy on the northern boundary of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.

Evelin and Serena will join other managers and chefs from The Peach Pub Company that owns other pubs as well as The Thatch, as well as the company’s co-founder, Hamish Stoddart, in this life-changing experience. Two of the company’s suppliers including its butcher, are also going to Kenya.

The Thatch has pitched in towards the company’s recent drive to raise money for the project, by donating a percentage of the takings from dishes on its menus and by doing activities such as sponsored cycle rides. In total, over £1 million Kenyan Shillings (around £7,000) has been raised for the conservancy which will be used to plant 20,000, two inch trees and to build a fence to protect the conservancy, helping to create what’s been termed the ‘Last Line of Defence’ for an area of land under growing threat.

As well as sleeping under canvas during their week-long stay, Eveline and Serena will also be taking part in activities to promote sustainable farming, forestry and tourism in this part of Africa. Some of these will be uniquely challenging, like digging ten fence holes in a day or building a game-viewing platform, as well as ear-tagging and milking cows and catching a catfish in the Mara River and then cooking and eating it.

“I know Serena and I are both ready for the challenge and can’t wait to get on the plane,” said Evelin. “We were both thrilled and honoured to be picked for the trip; Serena earned her place by coming top in a team challenge we ran in the company whilst I got mine by making it a good 12 months for the pub, both financially and in picking up various awards.

“We know it’s going to be tough and physically hard work, but we’re really ready for the hiking, the planting and all the tasks ahead of us. I’ve never been to anywhere like Kenya before so for me personally it’s going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m all set to go. We know this is a cause close to the heart of the man who co-founded Peach, Hamish, and we’re both hoping what we’ll do will really count.”

“Africa, and in particular, the Maasai Mara are both passions of mine, and whilst we do lots close to home to support good causes, through healthy eating for kids, education and sports sponsorship, we chose the Last Line of Defence and the Enonkishu Conservancy as our priorities this year,” explained Hamish Stoddart, Peach co-founder. “That’s because, in the last few years, the change in the environment and land use has accelerated even more, and we now need to take real action to preserve the last great land migration in the world. This is our chance, with the help of our guests and the people who work with us, to make a real difference. Good luck to Evelin, Serena and everyone else on the trip.”

Locals and pub guests can sponsor the tree-planting effort and support the Last Line of Defence and the Enonkishu Conservancy by contributing via www.peachfoundation.co.uk  Alternatively, they can do their bit to support Evelin and Serena and the project by ordering the pub’s Caesar Salad when they visit The Thatch; for every salad ordered, the pub donates 25p to The Peach Foundation to help fund education, sport and conservation in Africa.