Jellyby - I don't know why but - Bleak House comes up when you google it and there is orange jelly fungus by van dyke - I have cheated via google.

Actually jellyby sounds good. Shaker = Jelly? Near = by?

Van Dyke (Dyck) is definitely spelled with a 'Y' though Baz.

Maybe jelly for a shaker, but I can't think of the rest.

Jellyby is indeed a Dickensian who pursues distant projects. I think you are the outright winner Soozie!!!

There you are Soozy....

 

Among the many memorable characters populating Charles
Dickens's novel Bleak House is the formidable Mrs. Jellyby,

*takes a bow * thank you  I love Crosswords but I have to confess on this occasion to a bit of googling/

That's the grid complete. I thank you! See! We coffin dodgers could bring so much excitement to BB! Just imagine how exciting it would be to do the crossword each evening with a warming mug of Ovaltine! Other malty drinks are available.

Jellyby'll be right .. Mrs Jellyby  was a bit obsessive about setting up a project in Africa, so that fits the clue as well .

 

You're on a roll, Sooz!

The possibilities boggles the mind. What larks 

Tut, tut. Wiki's grammar is incorrect. It's Dickens' - Younever have more than one S.