Hello all, I turn a pretty big age this week and as I am quite sad to be away from all my UK friends and family this year for both my birthday and Christmas, and somewhat unable to receive post, I was wondering whether you might consider buying me a birthday/Christmas drink from afar, in the form of supporting me in what is definitely a particularly special cause.

I would love to create a library in the memory of my grandma, who sadly died in February after being unwell for some time. My ‘Granny Bee’ as she was known, was an amazing English teacher, who also marked English O-level papers from across Africa as an Assistant Chief Examiner. She also ran a book club known as ‘the Literary Ladies’ for forty years; indeed, she continued leading the club even when she was inside a care home in her later years. Even at the age of 90, she could still recite poems perfectly to everyone in the room, and always visibly became herself when I read poems to her. I know that the thought of a library in remote Ghana, with a ‘buzzy bee’ drawn all the wall would certainly make her smile, and will bring a smile to everyone who knew her too. 

I would love to create this library in a village which the co-founder of the charity, and great friend, Francis Yeboah, grew up in (this was not his idea!). This is a small village in the Eastern region of Ghana called Ekoso. The community have no reading resources, and very poor school facilities, too. We hope that a library can lift the educational opportunities for the schools in the local area, and can indeed be used during the day, after school, during the evenings, and at the weekends. The community are very enthusiastic to come together to make the library a central part of village life - and as a charity we are pulling together lots of Ghanaian-led ideas to improve the use of the books, and encourage children (and adults) to think critically as they read.

This library facility will cost £5000 in total and should be completed by the summer if enough is raised!

Thank you so much for all your support - medase pa pa
paaaaaaaa and have a great day. 

Cat