A huge thank you to Beech Hill community primary school in Luton for their continued magnificent support for the children of the Sohm Lower Basic (primary) school. They recently held their third "Gambia Day", which raised in excess of £2,000 - which via Gift Aid can translate into £2,500 - for the Gambian school.
The day featured assemblies to all of the 1,000 children at Beech Hill, with slides, videos and a chat about how their previous efforts have aided the Gambian youngsters. This was followed by activities in all classes, who addressed national curriculum topics through Gambian themes. There were drawing, writing, dance, history, geography, music and social studies classes working round Gambian topics.
showing Sohm children singing and dancing for them
In addition, Beech Hill's cheft did some demonstrations of how bread is cooked in African countries and an African drum teacher was brought in and conducted lessons on tribal drumming thoughout the day.
One of the African drumming classes , during Beech Hill's "Gambia Day"
At the end of the day some of the great parents and support staff sold food that they had made from donations by local traders, in takeawy cartons, for parents, as they picked up their children from school. Surplus school and donated books were also sold, on a stall, with funds going to Sohm.
Delicious food, lovingly prepared and profitably sold for the benefit of Sohm's children. Great work by Beech Hill staff, parents and supportive local traders!
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A fund-raising book sale was held during the day, of surplus school books and donations from staff and parents
As the "target" photo, below, illustrates, Beech Hill has raised almost £10,000 over the last few years for Sohm. This has lead to a formal twinning arrangement between the two schools, the purchase of all the stationery (books for the children, flip charts and duplicating paper etc for the staff) over the last four years, together with huge assistance with major refurbishing and modernisng projects at the school in Sohm.
Beech Hill has raised almost £10,000 for Sohm over the last five years. Magnificent!
The Luton children clearly enjoyed the day and have learned a great deal, over the years of the lives of their African counterparts. The children in Sohm have obviously benefitted materially, but in educational and communications terms, too. One of the great outcomes of the twinning arrangment has been the regular exchange of letters and artwork between the two schools.
What follows are some photos that illustrate how well the twinning operates in practice.
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Two of the Beech Hill "sponsored chairs" donated to the new hall the school helped to fund
Sohm children displaying some of the letters and artwork sent by their "twins" from Beech Hill, in February this year
Formal recognition of the twinning - Beech Hill's logo outside the Sohm school's headteacher's office
Sohm's children displaying some of the donated stationery that Beech Hill's contribution has helped fund
Over the last year we have helped fund the restoration of a classroom block in Sohm and repair some of the broken furniture. These nursery children are clearly benefitting!
So - on behalf of the children, teachers and parents of Sohm - we'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to all concerned at Beech Hill. Their support has been vital - and long may it continue!
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