Kentish Express Ashford & District
Readers try to bust a million
The number of schools involved with the KM Charity Team’s literacy initiative, Buster’s Book Club, will double this academic year.
More than 20,000 Kent children and families will use the successful home reading initiative in 2017 linked to their schools.
The initiative uses a triple challenge to engage children and families to read more – a weekly reading class of the week award, a monthly inter-school challenge offering leisure attraction vouchers as prizes and an annual collaborative attempt to turn participating children into reading millionaires if they all do a million minutes of reading.
Schools also have the chance to win a visit by Phil Gallagher, who plays the role of Mister Maker on CBeebies.
Find out more at www.bustersbookclub.co.uk mmilehamchappell@thekmgroup.co.uk A group of pupils and staff from an Ashford secondary school are gearing up for an international volunteering trip.
In July 2017, nine pupils and three members of staff from The John Wallis Church of England Academy in Stanhope will travel to Mexico as part of the “Build Hope Mexico” project.
They will work with other pupils from across England to build two houses for homeless families in Tijuana, Mexico, during the 10-day trip.
It is the third time in six years that volunteers from the Academy have gone out to Mexico to build a house for a homeless family.
The scheme is run by Amor, a Christian house-building charity which seeks to provide a future for a family in need.
On completion of the build, keys to the house are handed over by the team to the family who will live in the house.
Staff and pupils at The John Wallis have already held some fundraising events and have many more arranged, including a Mexican meal and quiz evening on Friday, February 3, in 2017 and a Nepalese community evening just before Easter.
Ian Rich, Academy lay chaplain, said: “We are very grateful to parents and members of the school and local community for their support as well as those larger organizations who have made donations to help us in our fundraising to travel to Mexico.
“This trip provides our students with the opportunity to live out the Gospel message of reaching out in love to those in need ... true love, which shows itself in action.”
To make a donation to the Build Hope Mexico project or help with fundraising contact Ian Rich on 01233 623465.