Welcome to the website of the New Neville Preparatory School. This site is dedicated to raising funds towards building a new school which Neville Maggs has chosen to support. To understand why, please take a moment to read the article below.
The Neville Preparatory School is a privately owned and run school in the district of Asuoyeboah, Kumasi, Ghana. It is regulated by the Ghanaian Education Authority and provides basic education for up to 500 hundred children from nursery age through to twelve years of age.
The school was founded by Mr Joseph Sarkodi in 1990 and lies at the bottom of a steep hill which is lined with unmade tracks and gulleys into which house drains run. As a result the open drains regularly flood the school during heavy rain storms.
In 2000 Neville was visiting the area and stayed in a nearby house for two weeks. He was extremely moved by the poor conditions the school and its children had to endure and became determined to help. Mr Sarkodi asked Neville if he could help complete some classrooms and provide help to build flood protections. As a result of the financial help he was able to provide the parents and staff decided to rename the school, the Neville Preparatory School.
2007 - Mr Sarkodi acquiries some land to relocate the school. Plans are drawn up and costs are estimated in the region of £15,000 – £20,000. Sadly Mr Sarkodi died and the project was put on hold until his estate was sorted out. The school is now jointly owned by Mrs Sarkodi and two relatives.
2008 - Neville visits with his eldest brother Fr Anthony and was shocked by what he saw. Coming back more determined than ever he sets up a Registered Charity: The New Neville Preparatory School Trust (Ghana) No: 1135785
2009 – Neville visits the site of the new school and meets up with various local Chiefs who give their support to the scheme.
2010 – Work begins and the foundations are laid. However due to hyper inflation within Ghana the project costs are now estimated in the region of £60,000
2011 - Current completion estimates now run to £80,000/$128,000, with just over £46,000 raised by December 2011. Serious flooding in September 2011 caused the closure of the old school. However the good news was that three classrooms were complete enough for delighted children to move into them
********SEPT 2011 CHILDREN MOVE INTO COMPLETED GROUND FLOOR CLASSROOMS (see pictures in the photo gallery)********
2012 – Lessons are now being taught in various rooms within the school as building work continues.
Work continues and progress can be seen with the regular photo updates posted on the site, in the School or photgallery sections.
Neville has now visited the school almost every year since, bringing extra funds and gifts for the children and staff .
To date Neville continues to work tirelessly towards the target of building the new school. This website is a way of keeping you informed of the progress being made and the fundraising activities that are occuring all over the world.
We do hope you can help