When another email arrived from the Charity Commission I thought they wanted more explanations, to sift deeper into the bank accounts, or that I’d missed a line on a form. Maybe I should have paid a lawyer, I thought. But the only person I knew who’d done that had been ripped off, losing a massive chunk of the money they’d raised (no offense lawyers). So I’d just printed off pages of notes and spread them round the flat, filling in the forms and asking amazing friends to help with accounts (thanks Leonie!) and drafts of charitable aims.

And it worked! The Charity Commission’s email confirmed we’ve been granted full charitable status. This is brilliant news for the African Workshop and a massive tribute to every one of you who has helped us grow and support all the kids in Mali who have benefited from your generosity and time. The number’s in the post – and it will open a lot of funding opportunities and potential partnerships .

Thank you all so much!

A massive thank you to Towersey Village Festival, the best place for music and dancing last weekend!

As well as putting on an incredible five day event, Towersey offered the African Workshop space to set up shop. We built a towering scaffolding stall and hung it with instruments and clothes made by the kids in Bamako, played the Groupe Africa Son CD and strung up Malian fans, shopping bags and t-shirts.

The response was fantastic – hundreds of people dropped by to watch the film about the project, listen to the tunes and to donate. And once I worked out that it only rained if I went up the ladder to fix the roof the weather was beautiful!

A huge, huge thank you to everyone who helped us raise an incredible £1,885.67!

It’s a massive step towards our £5,000 target needed to buy land and set up a bigger, better, purpose-built centre.

Special thanks have to go to Bryony of the Demon Barbers, whose fan-tastic demonstration of the power of out fans lead to a rush! And to Edward II, Eliza Carthy and the Imagined Village for plugging us, supporting us and popping over to say hello.

And, of course, to Pete Coe for generously donating the money from his CD sales to the African Workshop, as well as the amazing amount of work he does for us through out the year.

Towersey is an amazing place – thanks to Steve Heap, Alan Bearman and the rest of the crew for inviting us to be part of it. Hopefully see you all next year!

Don’t forget to check the rest of the site for other ways to get involved..!

Ben

We are getting closer to buying a space to build our new centre on. Amadou has visited a few sites. But we don’t want to move the African Workshop too far. And we don’t want to be slipping down a mountain. And we don’t want to be handing money over for title deeds written on a fag packet…! All these things can happen in the churning chaos of Bamako.

Thankfully our mentor – Modibo – is helping. He is scrutinising documents, visiting sites, speaking with owners, checking the legal issues. It is making the process easier and more secure.

Amadou is excited about a plot he’s found in Yiri Madjo, not far from where we are now. It all looks legit and it is near a new French hostel, which could be an amazing source of visitors, supporters and souvenir hunters. There might even be a few gigs in it for the band!

This purchase will eat up most of our cash, leaving only enough for a couple more months food and supplies. There are fundraising events in the planning stage but any donations are always welcome. We can also now accept standing orders. Get in touch for more details.

Fingers crossed for the land. I’ll update you soon.

Ben

]]> http://www.africanworkshop.org/2009/04/land_in_bamako/feed/ 0 http://www.africanworkshop.org/2008/12/fish-on-a-frozen-bicycle/ http://www.africanworkshop.org/2008/12/fish-on-a-frozen-bicycle/#comments Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:27:54 +0000 Ben http://www.africanworkshop.org/?p=80 The time has come! And it will be cold…but it’ll be worth it. I am going to cycle from London town to Brighton on February 7^th. That’s 60 miles of cold, freezing whipping rain and burning thighs and..and…

And all you need to do it reach into your pockets and sponsor me! I am looking for 150 people to sign up for £10. I know it’s a big ask but if we can pull this off we’ll make a massive difference to life in Mali.

I’m planning on heading out to Mali just two weeks after this bike ride. And if I can raise £1,500 we can buy the land while I’m there and start building the new centre.

Please think about how you can help with this – dish out a tenner, collect at work, tell you friends, email your colleagues, pester your family! Between us I know we can find 150 folk with a spare £10….

You can sponsor me through www.africanworkshop.org, email me at ben@africanworkshop.org or call 07740 509336.

Ben

It’s time to start a cycle: an annual bike ride to the seaside. And dangling, glittering at the end of the 65 mile route is a beautiful pile of tasty fish. What could be better than fish on a bicycle? So I am going to ride from London town, out east to Mersea. Mersea has an island, lots of fish and probably a pub. I will use all three to spur me on.  

I will brave the weather, risk the wrath of the arriving winter and tempt fate by arranging the ride for October the 11^th. The aim is to raise some money to go towards to purchase of land and the establishment of a permanent African Workshop centre in Bamako. It’ll be more useful than a bicycle for a fish.  

Please feel free to sponsor me generously through my Just Giving page or by driving truck loads of large bills to my house. Either works.  

But then there is another option – give me your blood, sweat and tears. Yes, you to can ride headlong into a blizzard (probably) or enjoy a lovely autumnal day trip (less likely) all to help out a brilliant bunch of artists, musicians and kids in Mali (definitely).  

If you’d like to join the first annual Fish on a Bicycle sponsored ride then please get in touch. All you need to do is collect some sponsors, pedal all day and then eat fish and drink beer before taking the train home with throbbing legs, a full heart and tight buns.  

There are also plans for a ‘support car’ of loyal (laughing) friends who might stop at a roadside tavern or two to cheer the intrepid cyclist(s) as they blur past in a fury of gears and lycra (oh yes). You can join them too if you like.  

So roll up! Roll up! Don’t be shy – come and see the amazing Fish on a Bicycle!

The Group Africa Son have recorded their second album, which I’m hoping to find a distributor for soon. They have also moved the workshop and expanded the project with the help of your money.

They are now regularly teaching kids painting, instrument making and music. There are always children asking for some time in the workshop, which is really good. They know they can have some fun and learn something for free.

While we were there we set up a money-generating project for them. We made posters in English and French offering tourists a chance to visit the workshop and try the activities. Amadou is putting them up around tourist spots in the city. Hopefully it’ll help them earn some cash.

A local businessman and NGO worker has agreed to help. The Malians have also met with a government minister, who has agreed to support the work and make sure it’s all official.

We also decided to buy speakers, amplifiers and mics so the group and the children can play gigs, earn money and show the kids more of the country. I’ll let you know how it goes.

We’ve also bought back a big bag of clothes and cloths made by the kids. These are for sale – get in touch if you’d like some.