A TEENAGER who founded a charity with his schoolfriends to help rebuild a school in Africa has been honoured with a prestigious Diana Award, presented in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Seventeen-year-old William Norming-ton, of Ben Rhydding, set out to raise money for the building of a school near Mombasa, Kenya, after he saw primary school lessons being held in a tiny, unsuitable building, during a family holiday.

He and his schoolmates from St Mary’s School, in Menston, set up registered charity BASIK (Build A School In Kenya) in 2006, with the help of William’s mum, Celia.

The group of friends held many fundraising events of their own to generate money for the charity, starting off with fundraising football matches after school. They also landed sponsorship from a Bradford printing firm.

Now, £11,000 and one school later, BASIK has moved on to trying to help other children who could otherwise miss out on an education.

William was presented with the Diana Award at a special ceremony in London recently by the Children’s Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green.

William said: “I was delighted to receive this award but it’s not really for me. I wanted to accept this award on behalf of BASIK and thank all my friends because without them BASIK would not be where it is today.

“Me and my friends decided to set up BASIK three years ago and since then we have raised over £11,000 to build Kilimani Primary School just outside Mombasa. We are now in a position to move on to our next project and help other children who would otherwise miss out on an education.”

The awards scheme was set up in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, to recognise outstanding young people who make selfless contributions to their communities and invest a great amount of energy and compassion to improve the lives of others.

The scheme is backed by the Memorial Committee, founded to ensure that the memory of the “People’s Princess” is commemorated in a way of lasting benefit to society.

Diana’s sons, the Princes William and Harry, are closely involved with the awards.

When the BASIK fundraising efforts started, only 60 youngsters from Kenyan villages were able to go to Kilimani Primary School.

Lessons were held in a simple mud hut and in the rainy season, the school had to close because of the holes in the roof.

Now more than 300 children, some of then orphans, can go to a school that is built to last and this year had running water and toilets installed for the first time.

But BASIK is keen to do more for children in Kenya.

The charity says the majority of youngsters in Kenya are still going to schools with a lack of essentials, such as running water, desks and a building made to last.

There are no school meals or drinking water and some schools are falling into disrepair.

BASIK wants to complete new school buildings to a good standard and continue to support them financially.

All the money raised goes straight to the schools.

For more information, or to donate to the charity, visit justgiving.com/basik or justbasik.org, or e-mail chris@justbasik.org.