Costa Foundation recognises Costa Coffee employee at Rochdale store with a trip to Vietnam

Costa Foundation Team group shot in Vietnam (Sarah is second person kneeling from the left, wearing a Costa Foundation t-shirt)

Sarah Kershaw, who works as a Store Manager at a Costa Coffee store in Kingsway Retail Park in Rochdale, is one of twelve lucky Costa Coffee team members who were chosen to visit Vietnam and experience the work the Costa Foundation do there to help support and educate coffee growing communities. 

Sarah, 37, has been working for Costa Coffee for the past five years, and is a passionate fundraiser for the Costa Foundation. She was recognised on behalf of her amazing team, as collectively since the store opened in 2017, the team has helped raise over £5,000 for the charity through sponsored silences and completing the three peaks challenge. Handpicked out of thousands of Costa Coffee team members, Sarah was recognised for this once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Sarah and the team embarked on a five-day visit of the Costa Foundation’s work in Vietnam. As part of the trip, the group visited nursey schools in the Dak Lak provenience of central Vietnam, meeting both children, parents of the children and teachers at schools that have been built by the Costa Foundation over the past five years. 

The group also attended the opening ceremonies of some of the newest schools to be built by the Costa Foundation across Vietnam. The visits highlighted the difference that the charity is making to improve access to education for children across coffee growing regions. 

Speaking about the trip, Sarah said: “Visiting Vietnam and seeing the amazing work of the Costa Foundation and meeting the children was an incredible experience. Having a daughter and knowing that education is guaranteed for her is a real privilege. It really hit home that everyone should be able to have access to the education they need. I feel truly privileged to have been chosen for this trip and to be able to see how our hard work over the years is helping children in Vietnam. 

“Education is one of the greatest gifts you can give to someone, as it gives people hope and the opportunity to achieve great things in life. I am proud to support the Costa Foundation which is making a positive contribution to coffee growing communities globally and this visit has inspired me to fundraise even more!” 

The Costa Foundation was established in 2007, with the aim of improving the life chances of children in coffee growing communities by helping them access a safe, quality education. In Vietnam, children need to be able to speak Kinh, Vietnam’s national language, to access primary education. The Costa Foundation funds nursery schools in these remote areas to ensure children can learn Kinh from an early age and benefit from full schooling.  

Over the last 16 years The Costa Foundation has supported twenty-four nursery schools in Vietnam to date, with a 100% record of accomplishment of children leaving with the ability to speak Kinh.  

In 2022 alone, they completed five new schools and ten schools' expansions, with six new schools under construction across the world’s coffee growing regions. Additionally, two new programmes of work also started in Zambia and Ethiopia. For 2023, seven new schools are planned to be completed across Ethiopia, Colombia, and Peru, whilst adding extra facilities and expanding six schools across Uganda, Zambia, and Ethiopia. 

John English, Community Manager at Costa Coffee, who also took part in the special visit said: “The Costa Foundation exists to help provide a safe and quality education for children in coffee growing communities. An amazing total of £1.2 million was raised for the charity in 2022, which was made up of a combination of corporate donations, donations from product sales, and in-store fundraising activities – such as Sarah’s.  

“We are honoured to have been able to acknowledge the achievements and hard work of our twelve Costa Coffee’s team members by taking them on an unforgettable trip to Vietnam, where they first-hand saw the difference that them, their stores and their communities are making.”