A BOOK written and illustrated by a team of creators from the Five Valleys aims to raise £50,000 for charity.
Ten Thousand Bowls of Soup has been put together by writer Ross Frowen, illustrator Pip Morris, storyteller Clare Steele, musicians Biddy Turner and John Harris, and several others – all volunteers.
The story, aimed at children aged 5-8 is based on the experiences of Ross’s son Henry, who ‘lost his smile’ in a clashing of heads with his dog Tatty and found it again working in a migrant camp.
On the migrant camp in Greece, Henry’s job is to help make soup, sometimes up to 10,000 bowls in a single day, for the people living on the site.
Ross said: “Ten Thousand Bowls of Soup is an unusual story in that it combines child-friendly elements with a worldly message about reaching out to help people in challenging circumstances around the world.
“At its heart, it’s a story about common humanity, particularly as practised by the young who so often lead by example.”
The book, illustrated with charming depictions of Henry’s exploits, shows how he develops friendships with the camp residents – they teach him how to make tastier soups, dance and help him find his smile again.
Just ahead of National Refugee Week (June 19-25), the story is being launched as an audiobook CD and paperback to raise money for the international charity Médecins Sans Frontières.
With sponsorship from Stroud-based Ecotricity and estate agent Peter Joy, and further backing from a variety of other local companies ranging from pastry chefs to tree surgeons, the project aims to raise more than £50,000.
Dale Vince, Ecotricity founder, said: “We hear from many groups who have fantastic fundraising ideas for worthy causes, but something about this children’s story focusing on the migrant crisis really captured our imagination.
“We hope the team behind Ten Thousand Bowls of Soup go on to increase the awareness of MSF and raise lots of money for the cause.”
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This is the full list of the book’s sponsors:
Ecotricity
Peter Joy Estate Agent
C2E Holdings Ltd
The Trouble House
Hansen Tree Care
The Bell at Avening
The Queen Matilda Tavern, Avening
Stroud Brewery
All Out Play
RefugeeAid Stroud
In Other Words Storytelling
Minchinhampton Golf Club Professional Shop
Sparks Publishing Services Ltd
Maximum Exposure
The Yellow-Lighted Book Shop
MDL Kelex
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