Sohm headteacher thanks Luton’s Beech Hill Primary for life-changing donation

Lamin Saidy, of Sohm Lower Basic School, was thrilled to receive a £2,500 donation from Beech Hill Community Primary to help with essential refurbishment work for his classrooms.

The school held a ‘Gambia Day’ in June last year and was visited by the charity Sohm Schools Support, enjoying workshops such as craft, drumming, and African story times.

Beech Hill has a friendship agreement with Sohm Lower, and now Mr Saidy has written to the charity and school to say a huge thank you.

Mr Saidy said: “Our sincere gratitude to the Sohm Schools Support (SSS) and Jersey Gambia Schools Trust (JGST) [another organisation which has helped the school] for the wonderful contributing role they are playing in supporting our development agendas.

“The first big project implemented in the school was the electrification project, which accords us the opportunity to get equipment such as computer laptops, desktops, printers and copiers.

“Having the equipment in the school relieves us from travelling to the town only to copy or print a document.

“The library and sick room were then refurbished simultaneously.

“Our friends (SSS and JGST) responded to our plight, and made our library termite free and fixed our sick room for us, providing equipment and first aid training .

“They also intervened to improve the limited water supply in the school.

“The whole of the six classroom block was renovated and painted, blackboards repaired and the broken doors fixed. The roof was fixed, so we no longer fear for books and papers getting wet or unauthorised people entering.

“The pending project proposed for the school this year is the school hall with a kitchen and a store.

“In conclusion, we have to extend our sincere gratitude to the staff and pupils of Beech Hill Primary School, Luton and the management of Rotary International, Redbridge.”