Upcoming events
Past News & Events
- St Anna's Academy
- Book week
- Bob runs the New York Marathon
- July visit, 2010
- The family moves in!!
- Taking my mother to visit St Anna's!
- Raise the roof for St Anna's!
- St Anna's Hoodies
- St Anna's building work has now reached roof height!
- Gabby Haigh's Liverpool Half Marathon!
- Lasagna cookathon!
- Jazz and Jelly Evening
- The Mad Mull Swim!
News and Events:
Over the last couple of years St Anna's has gone from strenght to strenght. Below are some of the fundraisers that have gone on, and some news that makes St Anna's a reality.
St Anna's Academy - 16/08/2011
I have just been out to visit St Anna's in July and am very happy to bring back photos of St Anna's Academy pupils! We are now open as a creche/nursery from Monday to Friday and have between 30-50 children coming to school at the house. Not only is this offering education to the children in our area it is also giving us an income.
Following the success of the Book Week donations from St Joseph's Stockton we also now have an impressive range of books for the children to read. To be honest I couldn't actually get all the books there despite the 90kg luggage allowance so am hoping to force the remaining few on other people to take out whenever possible.
Book week - 17/03/2011
As part of book week this month my cousin Ali Findlayson asked her pupils at St Joseph's school in Stockton on Tees to donate a copy of their favourite book to St Anna's. The event was a great success and there are now several boxes of books waiting to come out to Ghana with us this summer.
Just want to say a huge thank you to Ali and to everyone at St Joseph's who donated a book, we are extremely greatful for your support!
Bob runs the New York Marathon - 04/10/2010
After almost a year of training, 2 half marathons, 1 marathon, 3 pair of runners, 5 pairs of socks, 8 packets of plasters, 27 blisters and two paddling pools of sweat, On November 7, I will be taking on the New York Marathon.
As part of the journey I'm hoping to raise money to help the children of St Anna's.
Your donations to make this a worthwhile journey would be greatly appreciated. Check back soon for details on how to donate online, or contact laradeklee@hotmail.com for more information...
EDIT: Story has made it onto front page of local paper: http://www.stuff.co.nz/mar
PLEASE NOTE: You can press on Donate Now on the home page to be directed straight though to Bob's fundraising page- or click on the link below and remember although the page appears to support Wintershall Charitable Trust, the Wintershall Charitable Trust has kindly offered to umbrella St Anna's so all money raised I assure you will go directly to St Anna's.
www.justgiving.com/Robert-de-Maio
Thankyou in advance from all at St Annas!
July visit, 2010 - 22/08/2010
On 4th July I went to St. Anna's to visit our new family, taking my brother Tom with me. The last time I went to Ghana was 2006 when we bought the plot of land the house is built on, 4 years on and the area is almost unrecognisable! We are not the only ones who thought building a house there would be a good idea. The moment we walked through the gate we were met with hugs from 9 beautiful, bouncing and giggling children; Patrick, Patricia, Paul, Beatrice, Big Joseph, Little Joseph, Hannah, Sarah and Edward. We were immediately delegated roles as goalkeeper and chief swing pusher, and so the week went on. We got to visit all their schools and meet their head teachers, and to get to know the 3 wonderful women, Vic, Christina and Sophia, who have given up their lives to look after the children. We joined in Thursday evening singing practice, Saturday sports day and Sunday afteroon dancing. All in all an amazing week. Bias aside I think we have 9 of the most polite, spirited and beautiful children in Ghana, so if you want to visit just let us know!
The family moves in!! - 12/05/2010
In March 2010 Patrick, Patricia, Henry, Joseph, Sarah, Hannah, Beatrice and Edward all moved in with their new house mother. Please click on the link below to read about the big move in, and to find out how you can support St Anna#s. Make sure you read to the end!
Taking my mother to visit St Anna's! - 01/09/2009
"In September 2009, I finally took my mother (Charlotte) to Ghana to visit not only St Anna's, but also my other family! Emelia welcomed us both with open arms, so excited to have us stay, and what a stay it was! We did do a little "back packing" (even if that word is slightly too strong for what we did!), exploring the coast all the way along to Dixcove (50 km from the Ivory Coast) and then back to Accra, but mainly we stayed with Emeila and planned all sorts fo St Anna developments. We also met the builders, plumbers, painters, roofers, electricians and most of the team behind St Anna's. The most exciting moment though, as you can imagin, was actually going to visit St Anna's itself! To be honest I was expecting it to be quite moving perhaps, and hugely exciting- but neither of those words really express what it felt like. I could not really quite believe that something that has been a childhood dream was actually 8 rooms large, roofed, with its own garden and nearly ready to become a home to 16 children and a mother. Moving it definatley was, but exciting is an understatement. Standing in what will be the entrance hall/dinning room I began to think of all the hundreds of people who have helped with works or donations to make this possible- and I can not begin to thankyou all for what you have doen enough. St Anna's Childrens home would never have happened with out all of you.
We spent a morning wandering around with charcoal, marking on to the walls where plugs, light switches, cupboard, shower heads and beds were to go- very real things to have to do. The roof it has to be said is quite spectacular! What we have managed to acheive in the last 6 months is really brilliant even in Ghana time!
Whilst there, it became clear that an out reach programme was needed to send "needy" children to school. St Anna's hopes to be able to help children from very large families (10-16 children large) to go to local school. Whilst there we enrolled Joseph and his older brother in the local school, both from St Anna's neighbourhood. Although they will continue to live with thier mother they will now have the oppertunity of an education, giving them the chance to make more of their future lives, and develop skills they would not have been able to other wise.
St Anna's also hopes to house a kindergarten during the days, and a small window shop (quite typical for Ghanian homes), but we are taking one step at a time! Next stop... a family!"
Lara de Klee
Below is a picture of my two mothers!
Raise the roof for St Anna's! - 26/03/2009
On the 26th March at the 20th Century Theatre in Notting Hill St Anna's hosted 'Raise the Roof', a fundraising evening of Ghanaian entertainment. Guests were able to buy a 'tile' for the new roof, sample Ghanaian food, watch West African live bands with dancers, see a contemporary African art exhibition, and discover much more about Ghanaian culture. We aimed to raise the profile of the work of St Anna's.
The building project began in 2006 and had only reached roof height in March. To have St Anna's up and running by our target date of the end of this summer we needed to raise a minimum of £15,000, instead at Raise the Roof we raised a grand total of just over £30,000!!! Really rather incredible, and we can not begin to thank all of you who made this possible!
Raise the Roof enabled us to complete the building and not only put the roof on, but has allowed us to complete the whole building project. Two weeks ago (Janurary 2010) St Anna's was able to take in and house its first abandonned children and the house mother. Beyond exciting! Thnakyou to all of you who helped through work or donations at raise the roof. Making the home a reality not just a dream.
St Anna's Hoodies - 31/01/2009
St Annas will be selling hoodies, not only at Raise the Roof, but also to order. If you are interested please email gabbyhaigh@hotmail.com
St Anna's building work has now reached roof height! - 01/12/2008
St Anna's Childrens home building work has now reached roof height, we aim to complete building work by the end of the summer, so that come September we can start the St Anna's family!
Gabby Haigh's Liverpool Half Marathon! - 01/09/2008
In March 08, Gabby Haigh, her sister Flic and her boyfriend Matt, ran the Liverpool half marathon for St Annas. Thank you to everyone who sponsored us!
Lasagna cookathon! - 01/05/2008
During the summer months of my (lara de Klee) holidays, I have cooked and delivered Lasagnas and Shepards pies to very generous neighbours, who seem to keep wanting them! I have now cooked way above and beyond a total of 500, and although I can no longer eat them, everyone else tells me I should keep cooking!
Jazz and Jelly Evening - 08/02/2008
In February 08, St Anna's hosted an evening filled with puddings and jazz! Thanks to my Godmother Vanessa, we were able to host an incredible evening in a fantastic venue, with Emily Daniels, and Janey Hughes with her support band both singing quite exceptionally!
The Mad Mull Swim! - 01/08/2006
In August 2006 Lara de Klee undertook some mad challenge and swam from mainland Scotland across to the Isle of Mull. Below is the news paper article as it was printed in the Oban Times.
