To date Sausage Tree Charity has raised £136,862. It is run on a purely voluntarily basis, with no salaries or office costs. We want the money raised to get directly to the children and schools in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia. The projects that we have undertaken include: helping to renovate and resource 3 schools, paying teachers salaries, initiating tree planting schemes and educating orphaned and vulnerable children through primary and secondary school and college.
Lu Chignell visiting Chiwawatala School
Lu Chignell, Chairperson
Born and brought up on a farm in West Sussex, Lu is a primary school teacher with special needs qualifications. Lu thought of the Sausage Tree idea when visiting a local Zambian School in 2000. She has previously raised money for ‘The Rainbow Trust’ and ‘Wizzkids’.
Emma Foden, Treasurer
Since working in an orphanage in Vietnam, Emma has been committed to raising funds to help less-advantaged children. She has a marketing and event organisation background and recently established a small catering company.
She has previously helped organise charity events for Cancer Research & Hope & Homes for Children.
Will helping out during one of our charity events.
Will Chignell, Secretary
Will is Head of Media for the Rugby Football Union. He compiled the book, ‘The Best After-Dinner Sports Tales’ which made over £40,000 for the Children’s charity SPARKS, and has also raised over £9,000 for ‘The Rainbow Trust’. He has been involved in Sausage Tree since its conception.
Richard Harrison, Trustee
Richard Harrison is an architect with global firm Gensler. He is involved with various projects worldwide, many of which incorporate sustainable design. He has helped numerous charities with their fundraising, including running The London Marathon and The London Triathlon.
Lisa Gower,
Project Co-ordinator
Lisa fell in love with South Luangwa after an unplanned visit to the area. In 2009 she decided to leave her managerial job in a large telecommunication company in the UK and volunteered for Children’s Wildlife Conservation Education Organisation. She is now works for Conservation Science Africa (CSA) and as Community and Conservation Manager for Mfuwe Lodge. Lisa works with Lu on Sausage Tree projects.
Haggai Chisshala, Project Manager
Haggai was born and educated in Northern Zambia, he moved to South Luangwa in 1991 where he started and continues to work for Mfuwe Lodge and The Bushcamp Company in the role of Accounts and Administration Manager. Haggai is dedicated to improving the development of the local community and is involved in many successful projects; he very focused on improving the education of the younger generation which includes pupil sponsorship schemes and development of the local schools.
David Bell, Webmaster
Although now based in the UK running his own web design company, David was born and raised in Zimbabwe and South Africa. He feels a special connection to Sausage Tree and to Zambia, since his grandfather owned a farm near Livingstone for many years. David runs and maintains this website.
