Marathon reading

FOOD, glorious food... That's the mission of a group of people who will take part in a marathon reading of Oliver Twist at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse on Saturday.

Tireless fundraiser Janet Clark and her friend Marney Kuyateh - both driving forces in the Mattishall-based GATE (Gambia Aid Through Education) project helping some of the world's poorest people, will be leading about 20 supporters in reciting the text to visitors in the former workhouse chapel.

Christians from various churches in the Dereham area will be joined by staff and volunteers from the museum, some of them in Victorian costume, in taking it in turns to read passages.

They aim to get as far as they can through the Charles Dickens classic novel between 10am and 5pm.

Janet, from Mattishall, and Marney, of Garvestone, hope their combined efforts will raise the lion's share of the £1,200 they need for GATE's latest relief mission in Gambia.

"The workhouse will still be feeding children, in that we'll be using the money we raise to build a kitchen to feed youngsters who might be walking five miles to school and back each day," explained Janet. "About 100 children go to the school, and of course the kitchen will be forever so the benefits will be ongoing."

The project is destined for a region of the African country where the people, says Janet, are desperately poor. It will also pay for work to maintain and repair a fence around the school vegetable garden.

Last summer, GATE supporters held a successful Bible-reading marathon at All Saints' Church, Mattishall, to fund a new milling machine for thousands of people in a remote region of Gambia.

Visitors are welcome throughout Saturday's reading, and Gambian jewellery and bags will be on sale to help further those being assisted by GATE projects.

w Anyone else who would like to take part in the reading can call Janet on 01362 858221.