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 class of middle school children have donated their entire school to our charity.

Chairs, desks, musical instruments and classroom supplies for up to 500 pupils are on their way to the African Workshop’s community centre in Mali thanks to the efforts of pupils at Bebside Middle School, in Blyth, Northumberland.

The youngsters and their teachers decided to help after swapping letters with the West African children the charity helps educate. And when the Bebside pupils heard they were moving to a new school after the summer holidays they jumped at the chance to pack up the old one and send it over to Africa in a shipping container.

“This is the most amazing donation,” said Ben Holt, founder of the African Workshop. “It will fully equip our community centre – where we run a pre-school, plus art and music classes – and it will allow us to help the local schools where we send promising children to get an education.”

The African Workshop’s community centre is in a shanty town on the edge of Bamako, the capital of Mali. The area has no electricity or running water but there are a lot of children hoping to get an education. Schools are poorly equipped – often with makeshift furniture and no pens or paper – and many families cannot afford to fees.

The charity, which began life in 2007, now pays for the education of dozens of local children as well as offering space to learn new skills and play at the community centre.

Last February, Ben took over letters written in French classes at Bebside Middle School and came back with replies from Mali.

Charity co-founder Amadou Somaré said: “The kids were so excited to hear from children their own age in the UK. They swapped stories about everyday life and what they enjoyed at school. I think the new donation will really inspire them to try hard at school, and make them feel that people want them to succeed.”

Get browsing to find out more!