TWO pub managers from Thame helped plant 20,000 trees as part of a conservation project in Kenya.

Evelin Rae, manager of The Thatch, and her number two Serena Toh, visited the country as part of a 12-strong team sent by their parent company Peach to help conserve the frontiers of the Maasai Mara Reserve, one of the natural wonders of the world.

Here they helped plant 20,000 two inch trees, together with a fence around them to protect the conservancy and help create what’s been termed the ‘Last Line of Defence’ for an area of land under growing threat.

As well as planting a forest in a week, they also went to a cattle market to buy a cow as part of a project to promote sustainable farming, and lived under canvas, hiking and exploring.

Evelin said: "All in all I think it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences and one that will stay with me forever. There were just 12 of us, in Land Rovers, making our own way, and sometimes getting lost, heading for the greatest adventure of our lives.

"Meeting the people was I think the high point for me. The friendliness and serenity of Kenyans is amazing. Even when we went to a cattle market to buy a cow, the reaction we got from the people there was exactly the same as if they were selling a cow to their neighbour - we were treated as friends."

Locals and pub guests can still support Evelin and Serena, the Last Line of Defence and the Enonkishu Conservancy by contributing via www.peachfoundation.co.uk

They can also get involved simply 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.