Shall we Dance ?  ..... The King and I !!

'Tis true. On 10th June 2025 I was honoured and humbled to receive an MBE from HM The King!  What a HUGE honour and privilege - as I don't save lives or do anything particularly heroic and yet it happened. The most magical day, accompanied by my beloved mother who was the inspiration for Bushbells all those years ago, as well as my wonderful husband and most cherished friend, all of whom have  been there from the start...

Never in a million years did I imagine that a small project aimed at helping one man, Sammy, find work after losing his wife,  would evolve into something so impactful. Fast forward nearly 20 years, and  we have built two schools and made a difference to many children's education!  I am incredibly proud of what we've accomplished together.

It has been quite a journey, filled with tears, trials  and challenges, but the unwavering support from ALL  of you has kept me motivated. Whilst I can't mention everyone, I want to extend a very special thanks to my own amazing darling family (CHSL)  for their endless support, my beloved parents, brother, sister-in-law, cousins and my extended family.  

None of this would have been possible without the most incredible love and support and unwavering generosity of our wonderful friends, Gill and Susie, for providing a safe space for our remarkable tailors over the years. Our debt of gratitude to them is immeasurable.

To Jeni and Emma — trailblazers of Bushbells in the early days — their tireless work at endless charity sales and their constant support made more of a difference than they will ever know.

 And the list goes on: Sonya for her support with Holding Hands Africa;  our talented team of tailors—Ruth, Lilian, Rahema, Mahenzo, and Joseph; Katana; and all our fantastic volunteers we've had over the years. A heartfelt thank you to Mwana and her outstanding Bluebells staff, and, of course, to the wonderful children who remind us of our purpose.

To everyone who has generously contributed through donations, encouragement, transport, kind words, warm beds, nourishing meals, IT support, and so much more, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You all know who  you are and I am sorry that I don't mention you all by name...

This project, Bushbells, is a Marvellous, Beneficial Enterprise for all of us.

Remember, you can go faster alone, but you can go much further together. ASANTE SANA SANA SANA!