John Newcomb's role will include taking responsibility for overseeing partnerships and event-based fundraising for the charity, which supports the Kisima School.

The CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of a charity that gifts children in Africa with education opportunities.

John Newcomb has joined the leadership team at The Educational Frontier Trust, a UK registered charity, that provides funding for the educational needs of marginalised and vulnerable children in Kenya.

His role will include taking responsibility for overseeing partnerships and event-based fundraising for the charity, which supports the Kisima School.

Located 240 km from Nairobi, the school teaches 160 children on a purpose-built five-acre site, giving them the opportunity to transform their lives through academic achievement.

For 11 years, Newcomb has been a committed supporter of the Kisima School and has raised more than £25,000 for the facility, with activities including a sponsored cycle and auction of prizes.

He has also supported four students through their education in Kenya, both privately and also via the BMF.

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.”

TEFT will draw on Newcomb’s significant experience in fundraising projects, which has seen him motivate the building materials sector to raise more than half a million pounds for charities and good causes since 2018.

Those benefitting include the British Heart Foundation, the BMF’s charity for 2023, as well as previous ‘charity of the year’ partners including Band of Builders, Teenage Cancer Trust, Variety-the Children’s charity, Mental Health UK and the Samaritans.

Newcomb has also created charity partnerships to pave the way for further appeals, including a funding drive in aid of victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, which raised £18,880. He also spearheaded a campaign across Europe’s Building Materials sector to raise £70,000 and three tonnes of aid for war-torn Ukraine.

Newcomb 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.”

To find out more about the Kisima School, including details of sponsoring a pupil please visit https://teft.org.uk/kisima.php