Every year ‘Rise Young Leaders’ (a mix of 4 Norfolk high schools), visits Kenya with the aims of inspiring the minds of the Young English travellers and supporting the disadvantaged community of Jericho, Nairobi. One of the most powerful aspects of the annual trip lies with the fusion between the Rise Young Leaders group and 3 primary schools within the heart of Jericho. The English students teach lessons, share songs, play games and hand out an array of stationary, toys, sweets and clothes. The group also help to distribute the daily porridge, funded by the Norfolk schools.
Whilst out on these exciting visits, Dan likes to leave behind colourful murals on the walls of the schools they visit. In his first year (2011) Dan collaborated with a Kenyan art teacher Danson Sasso. It was a collaboration that happened by chance, with Dan being introduced to Danson at a young leadership conference. The mural merges Dan’s British countryside depiction with that of Danson’s expressive representation of the Kenyan landscape.
"Collaborating on this mural with the knowledge I was in the middle of creating something special, was probably one of the most memorable moments of my life. Crowds of onlookers, cheerful singing, the warmth of the Kenyan sun and impulsive painting. A moment I’ll cherish forever!"
In the following year, Dan worked on his next mural, which was to combine the skylines of London and Nairobi. This mural took approximately 3 days to complete with the support of Lisa Gerrity, a cohort of Kenyan pupils and plenty of sweet Kenyan tea. Dan is now in the process of preparing for his next mural and welcomes any ideas and designs. His first ideas include combining scenes with native animals and merging Norwich with Nairobi.