Maori Karen Groves will be going back to her roots when she helps to take a group of children in care to New Zealand to meet her tribe.

The Chippenham shop owner is joining forces with charity Kandu Arts to take the children for the holiday of a lifetime at Easter.

Mrs Groves, who is originally from Hongoeka Bay in Wellington, runs Collectors Corner in The Causeway with her husband Charles.

They have two children, William, 15, and Moana, 23. William will be travelling to New Zealand with his mother to meet his extended family for the first time. Mrs Groves was born in an aboriginal community in New Zealand and became a sign writer.

She left her Maori home after meeting her husband, an Englishman brought up in Australia, and they went to Australia together in 1980 for 11 years.

In 1991 they moved to Britain so her husband could return to his roots. They settled in Chippenham 13 years ago to run the secondhand shop in The Causeway.

"All my family are still there. I have six brothers and sisters. I was the only one to move but you carry your culture with you wherever you are," she said.

Mrs Groves became involved in the New Zealand project quite by accident through a fiftieth birthday party.

Her band, Zig Zag, was asked to play at the party and perform some Maori songs. Although she had known Kandu boss Ed Deedigan for a number of years he was not aware of her Maori connection.

After hearing her perform at the party, at which he was also a guest, Mr Deedigan asked Mrs Groves if she would like to be involved in the project.

Kandu aims to take 12 children on the trip if they can raise the £35,000 needed. The children will be taken on a variety of excursions and will be learning about traditional Maori culture. "It is a close knit community, like a big commune but everyone is family. I was brought up to speak Maori and sing and do all the dancing," said Mrs Groves.

The trip will begin with a few days rest so the children can acclimatise after the long haul flight.

Actor Jerome Flynn will be meeting the group in the South Island after flying over from a trip in Bali.

The group will travel to North Canterbury in the South Island to go whale watching and swimming with dolphins. This area forms part of the Kaikoura district where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in the East Coast mountains. It is a coastline of fishing settlements and seal and bird colonies.

This will be followed by a trip to Mount Ruapehu on the North Island where Mrs Groves hopes they will take the children skiing. There will also be a chance to visit the little geyser, which emits a fountain of water from the earth.Before the trip the boys will learn to dance the traditional Haka.