Help us create a children's garden library as a legacy to a wonderful teacher & mentor. Maggie Embree was a teacher and an inspiration. She recognised great potential in children and adults alike that they didn't know they had. Maggie had a passion to learn which, through her skilful teaching, she passed on to others. It was not only in her capacity as a teacher and the knowledge she passed on but as a great friend to all that passed through her life that she touched so many hearts.

She has been an inspiring teacher all her life and, when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, told me she wanted to teach, even at the hospital – so that's exactly what she did! She saw them between chemo treatments and within days of major operations. She carried on teaching her students until she physically couldn't read or write anymore due to a brain tumour; then she started discussing their coursework or the books they had to read. She had them read out their essays to her so she could mark it. Even then, she kept telling me she would get back to it full time and she never stopped believing she would.

A big part of her passion was reading. She has collected an amazing library over many decades which was used by all her pupils, their siblings and local children for many years. She read every book herself and loved the kids coming in and out with different stories. She ran summer reading competitions and book clubs and encouraged them to read and enjoy books, even those who didn't start out enjoying reading. I cannot bring myself to get rid of such a treasure so we are setting up a library that will be in her memory. With so many schools taking their libraries out and local libraries getting smaller, we have decided to convert our garage initially and, over time, will develop it into a creative, inspiring place which hopefully will become as much of a local children's landmark as it ever was and a legacy that this amazing person would have been proud of.

Maggie’s Library