Back in July, we collected over 2,700 books for BookBridge to help set up to new teaching libraries and education centres in Cambodia.
Local schools formed a massive part of our collection process, and we must give particular thanks to Billinge Chapel End Primary School, and Hawkley Hall High School for their hard work and amazing contributions.
Many books were also received from Beavers, Cubs and Scouts from our Scout Group, and from others in the local area. A donation of a tonne of encyclopaedias (they honestly did feel that heavy when we were packing them!) from the 8th Wigan Scout Group was particularly appreciated and exactly the kind of thing BookBridge were looking for.
In August, our efforts were highlighted in the local paper (click on the photo to see the article about us which appeared in the St Helens Reporter). It just goes to show that even after 104 years, Scouts are still making a difference as a force for good in the world.
Since our books were collected in July, we’ve been eagerly following developments as the books winged their way out to Cambodia, and this week, we received an email from the BookBridge team…
Dear UK Scouts,
you collected for children in Cambodia 75.000 books. Some of you talked to their schools others collected within their families and friends. We as professional book collectors really could´t believe how many books you collected. What you´ve achieved is really fantastic!
End of June we sorted the books with the help of lot´s of scouts at Sherbrooke Campsite. We managed together to ship two containers to Cambodia- one to Siem Reap in the north and one to Takeo in the South.
The two containers arrived in October at Cambodia. The books you collected were enthusiastically welcomed and unloaded by cambodian Scouts. As well the cambodian scouts helped us to build up the shelves and to stamp the books and to set up the library.
Dear Scouts, with your book collection you are a counter pillar in a joint program, that aims to give children access to education which is a key factor in the fight againts poverty and unequality.
From all the children and partner in Cambodia we want to overbring you a very big…
THANK YOU!!!!
Enclosed I send you a picture presentation where you can follow the whole process. As a thank you some cambodian children sang a song for you which you can see here: http://vimeo.com/33540192Please help to make sure that everybody that helped in the bookcollection gets the information.
We are very thankful for all your work. Together we can do something!!!It would be very nice if you could give me short feedback about your collection!
Martina, Lisa, Carsten, Daisy, Alex, Simon, Anu, Tunga, Sokhan
Having spent two weeks of my life collecting, counting, checking and packing books, not to mention the three months spent planning, I honestly am amazed by the generosity of local people, and of our country as a whole. So, to everyone involved, thank you. And if you’ve ever wondered if your hard work was worthwhile… take a look at these:
