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

'Tis true. On 10th June 2025 I had immense honour and privilege of receiving an MBE from HM The King.   I’m still deeply humbled by the experience. I don’t save lives or do anything especially heroic, and yet this extraordinary recognition happened.  

It was a HUGE honour and a most magical day, accompanied by my darling mother who was the inspiration for Bushbells all those years ago, as well as my wonderful husband and a  most cherished friend, all of whom have  been there from the very beginnng of this adventure......

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 constant 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 dear friends, Gill and Susie.  Their kindness in providing a safe working space for our remarkable tailors over the years has been the greatest gift.  Our debt of gratitude to them is immeasurable.

To Jeni and Emma - THANK YOU.  They were the 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 his help; and all our fantastic volunteers and the contributions they've made over the years. A heartfelt thank you to Mwana and her outstanding Bluebells staff, and, of course, to the gorgeous pupils of  Bluebells School; their joy and love of learning 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 US ALL.

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