Mary Sinnott - Founding Director
At present, in our strange and difficult circumstances, one thing we find ourselves with more of is time on our hands. Covid-19 has ‘allowed’ us time for reflection. We, or at least, I am thinking about how, pre Covid-19, I used to spend my days. I am also focussing my attention on what matters most to me in life. Many people will undoubtedly be doing the same and at the top of their lists will be family and friends, as they are on mine. After that the lists may well vary greatly.
Being retired from teaching now, much of my time is usually spent with my family or friends. I also devote some of my week to working on Foundation matters. The Foundation is indeed close to my heart, being founded to continue Steve’s work and build upon his legacy in international development following his sudden death twelve years ago. Steve believed that people working together could bring about change for the benefit of others, and this is what he strived for. Hope and optimism were the driving forces in his life and he held a passionate belief in the power of education to liberate; he viewed education as a fundamental human right. The Foundation seeks to bring likeminded people together to realise these ideals.
In the last few months the distribution of the time I spend with my family and friends has become a little skewed. I am finding isolation and social distancing means I have more time to give to working alongside (virtually speaking of course), Ann, our CEO on Foundation issues. It is a pleasure and a privilege for me, that we are involved in working in partnership with teachers and educators across the globe to help deliver projects that progress the achievement of SDG4 (Sustainable Development Goal 4) – ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. We always work closely with our partners, both here in the UK and in country, to ensure our approach is based on our belief that all the communities we work with already have experience, skills and wisdom. The Foundation respects and works with the local contextual and cultural knowledge of those seeking support. Our approach is never prescriptive or ‘top down’ we work in partnership to facilitate growth and development. We believe our approach will further the realisation of Steve’s passion for:
• every child having access to education
• people having a better understanding of the world around them
• the building of resourceful communities to alleviate poverty.
Our aim therefore, is to develop projects that are fit for purpose, locally owned and managed as well as being replicable and sustainable.
I have always been aware of how significant a role education has had in my life. Indeed, one of my proudest moments was when I vindicated Steve’s belief in me by becoming a teacher. Education opens minds and doors of opportunity, it fosters peace and justice, it promotes fairness and equality and also tolerance and understanding. In reflecting upon what is important in life, education is key. I can only echo the words of Hugh Gaitskill used by Steve that, ‘there are clearly a few things that we can fight, fight and fight again to achieve.’ All of us at the Foundation believe that quality education for all the world’s children must be one.
The Steve Sinnott Foundation • November 17, 2020
This week while out and about in Hertfordshire and we visited the British Schools Museum. We discovered the first school opened by Joseph Lancaster, was known as the ‘Poor Childs Friend”, was in 1810. It was his lifelong mission that all children regardless of their circumstances, should benefit from an education. Apparently, Joseph heard a small girl say, “Oh that I could read!” and this inspired him to create a simple education system that eventually would benefit children across the world. Joseph was the tenth son of a poor man himself from South London. His aim was to offer free education for everyone. However, it would be 93 years before the U.K. government finally made education free for all. There are still many countries today where education is still not free to access and it is certainly not compulsory for primary and secondary age pupils. Joseph’s mission really resonates with that of the Foundation, to support access to education for all. We enjoyed our visit and appreciated the tour given by two of the Museum’s volunteers, Angela and Clare. They described some of the challenges faced in the early years of formal education and shared some of the rules that teachers and students had to abide by with us.
Sparks Bristol is a collaborative community project initially envisioned by The Global Goals Centre, (GGC) more of which below. A few years ago, GGC took over an empty Marks and Spencer store and that’s how Sparks was born. Sparks is a department store with a difference, co-created by Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace. On the ground floor is a huge range of shops, installations, events and more. Upstairs is a hub for local artists, it offers affordable studios as well as rehearsal and performance space. The Global Goals Centre is a Bristol-based educational charity inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals. (SDGs). GGC believe the SDG’s or Global Goals as they are sometimes known, can be reached, with imaginative solutions and widespread education and engagement. They work with partners to promote creative solutions and deliver ground breaking projects that work towards these ambitious goals. The Steve Sinnott Foundation supported the Global Goals Centre with seed funding when it first started over 5 years ago. This month we went to visit them to see how they are getting on and we were taken aback by the volume of work they have achieved since they started. It is amazing to see how though working together with other local community groups it has grown into the vibrant centre it is today. All of the creative projects they host are linked to the SDGs. They cover topics that tackle poverty, education, climate change, fashion recycling and upcycling, to name a few.
Spring is definitely here, daffodils, blossom and crocuses are all basking in the bright sunshine. There is still a chill in the air in the shade but it's happening and all the seeds that were sown over the last few months are coming to fruition. At the Foundation, we have been planning the year ahead and our Positive Periods and Prevention of Gender Based Violence programmes got underway this weekend in Haiti and Ghana. These projects will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the women and girls who take part: tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and enabling girls to attend school every day when they have their period, to feel safe at school and know how to take action when they are faced with violence. These are the first of many projects planned for the year ahead as we continue to work towards Education for All children everywhere.
