A great bit of news is courtesy of the ladies from the Sierra Leone Cultural Women Organisation (mostly expat Sierra Leonean ladies living in the UK). They approached us last year offering support, and over the past months have helped completely upgrade the dining room. It was pretty unexciting with very basic wooden shutters instead of windows and definitely a candidate for a makeover.

It now has bigger and much brighter windows, a lovely new marble effect tiled floor, the entire ceiling has been removed and opened up to the space above and the roof fixed, everything has been decorated with a fresh paint job, fun murals on the walls, new tables, benches and dinner plates have been provided.

The room was officially opened by them with a ceremony and a special lunch on the 28th February. The refreshed dining room has been dedicated to our dear friend and manager Augustine Baker and his wife Bundo, who both lost their lives in St George’s fight to help Ebola orphans. That was a real tragedy for their family and their own children who we still help their grandparents support. Augustine performed his incredibly brave work helping children during the Ebola crisis. Ebola cost him and his wife their lives and Augustine features in this BBC News footage.

The photos show the room as it now looks and the children tucking into a celebratory meal during the opening ceremony.

A huge thank you to Grace and her ladies for their support – the room is lovely!