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ELLINGTON SCHOOL FOR GIRLS: MEDIA INFO:

Girls Help Build Schools for the Poor

An ambitious scheme to build schools in the poorest nations has been taken on by Ellington School for Girls at Ramsgate as its major fund-raising project.

The school is working with award-winning Thai chef Damrong Garbutt, who runs The Surin restaurant in Ramsgate's Harbour Street with her husband Tim. They have already raised thousands of pounds towards rebuilding the school Damrong attended in Kayong, Surin province, Thailand. It was a rotting, long wooden shed that has almost fallen down.

Other schools, all named The Surin School, are planned for Bolivia in South America, Mali in Africa and other UN-recognised poor countries.

Mrs Garbutt said: "It is a big challenge but it does not cost that much to build and equip one school with computers, books, a community hall and a well. Children need a decent environment in which to learn well. At the moment my old village school is in a dreadful state. It is hardly ideal."

Tim said: "To have the backing and fund-raising efforts, enthusiasm and energy of students and staff at Ellington School for Girls is brilliant news. We are delighted at their commitment to an important project.”
Mr Garbutt said the villagers are “thrilled that people the other side of the world are caring about their welfare and education. To them it is unbelieveable and they are so thankful.”

The Ellington link is being firmed up during a visit to Thailand in the next six weeks by Mr and Mrs Garbutt.

A group of Year 10 girls known as Surin Angels have been chosen to form a charity committee in the school. They will be getting advice and expertise from Thanet Lions about the most effective way to co-ordinate their efforts over the coming months.

They are: - Claire Sturgess, Rebecca Read, Sharie Avery, Charlotte Collins, Ryanna Brown, Sammi-Jo Gammon, Rhiannon Lunn, Paige Harris, Sammy Scott, Natasha Claydon, Emily Costa.

The Angels will act as ambassadors and will take their charity project into Ellington’s partnership primary schools to explain about the Surin scheme. It is hoped that other secondary schools will join in the Ellington-led initiative too.

Their first challenge has been successful – they have sent small Christmas gifts to the Thai pupils in Kayong, a pencil case each with equipment inside.

A range of events, large and small, are being considered by the Surin Angels and staff looking at the culture, heritage and cuisine of Thailand. A display monitoring the fund raising success and featuring picture information about the project in school and in Thailand will be put in a prominent place at Ellington.

Acting head teacher Colette Singleton said: “This is an excellent project and the girls have embraced it wholeheartedly. It is great to be able to make a difference to the lives of young people in poor countries where a safe and sound educational environment is critical for their educational development.

“It is critical that the project is sustainable and we hope to help provide funding for learning resources including computer technology. I hope we can develop a link with children and staff at the Thai school and then others as the scheme develops elsewhere.”

Mrs Garbutt, who left school at 12 to cook for her family in Thailand, has made the most of her culinary skills, moving from a restaurant in Bangkok to England where she met her husband in a Leeds nightclub. They moved to Ramsgate in 2001 to open The Surin.

She said: "We want to help other children in remote parts of the world to make the most of their lives."