Diners ordering deliveries and take-aways from Frome's African Safari Kitchen during lockdown are helping to care for Kenyan orphans.

Owner Sarah Hillman started the service to ensure that funds continue to feed into the orphanage she set up 17 years ago.

Sarah is a familiar face in Frome and well-known for being a Glastonbury Festival stallholder, episode-winner on Channel 4's Come Dine With Me and the county's first black, woman councillor.

Queues for her food stall at the town's July Festival Food Feast, which she has attended every year since 2000, regularly reach round the block.

But Sarah's current delicious home delivery and takeaway offerings of traditional delights such as African fried chicken, plantain, coconut beans, curries, pea and corn mash and spiced cabbage come with a huge difference during lockdown.

All proceeds from food sales go directly to her orphanage - currently home to 89 children.

Sarah says: "I love to cook for people so it is really a simple, beautiful idea of exchange and kindness.

"The orphanage, named Mama Upendo Children's Trust, welcomes gifts like any charity does but the main way for us to provide food, shelter, medicine, education and a future for these deeply disadvantaged children is by selling our food.

"The pandemic effects have reached these children too; I had to find a way to provide and opening African Safari Kitchen for take-away and deliveries during lockdown has provided the answer.

"Mama Upendo' means 'mother's love' so that is what I must give."

With a menu that caters for all tastes, and proudly does not treat vegans as an afterthought, the African Safari Kitchen is currently open for socially-safe deliveries and take-aways every day, meaning that all meals are super-fresh and maximise the opportunities to keep bringing in funds for the orphanage.

'Mama Sarah' sums it up like this: "Every plate saves a life.

"I originally offered a home to four children because their mother was dying.

"That number has now become 89 children and I am the mother of all these children.

"It is up to me to care for them and provide for them so I had to find a way to make money to do that."

Sarah's huge heart and generous nature mean she is, of course, aware of the extraordinary input from those closer to home.

As our careworkers, NHS staff and so many people labour in challenging circumstances to look after communities, throughout lockdown the African Safari Kitchen is running a 'Hero Meal' nomination each week to say thank you and spread the love locally.

You can vote on Facebook to nominate someone in the local area to receive a free 'Hero Meal'.

Nurses, doctors, firefighters or simply local, unsung heroes and heroines who have gone out of their way; Sarah would like to hear about them all.

Each week winners receive a delicious meal, hand-cooked by Mama Sarah.

If you would like to see the current menu, order food from the African Safari Kitchen, or find out more about the work of the orphanage and the Mama Upendo Children's Trust get in touch via text, whatsapp or call direct on 07715 499819 or visit the Facebook page.