Hugh Gaitskell Primary School in Beeston had a very special visitor yesterday (17 October 2019) when boxing champion Amir Khan called in to officially open the school’s library bus.
With space at a premium and wanting to do something special to promote reading, Headteacher Kate McNulty came up with the idea of converting a double decker bus into a library space at school.
“We believe that al children should have a love of reading” she explained. “That we should be sharing our books with them and helping them to develop that skill of losing themselves in a book (and not on a computer).”
Mrs McNulty worked with staff members Miss Huntley, Miss Hudson and Mrs Padgett on the project and brought an old Dublin bus from York. The project was sponsored by DePuy Synthes, SDA Architects did the design work, IKEA provided soft furnishings, and the Foyle Foundation donated £17,000 worth of books.
Amir Khan said:
“It’s amazing to have a bus here where you can go in to do your studies, to do your reading, because reading is very important.
“I want to give you all a little piece of advice to work hard in life, work hard in school, even though I’m a boxer and I always believed that one day I would become world champion, I always worked hard in school, I never gave up, I did my homework, I went to bed early. If you guys want to be happy in life and achieve your dreams you have to work hard in school.”
Amir was presented with a book of diversity poems written by children at the school and in return, he presented the school with a pair of signed boxing gloves that will be raffled to support school funds.
