Ipswich poet aids Kenyan children

By Jon Wright
BBC Suffolk

Manna Community Project help children in Kenya

A part-time poet from Ipswich is publishing her latest book to raise money for a Kenyan charity.

It's been a real family effort to publish Elaine Coltham's new poetry collection - Manna From Heaven.

"My granddaughters have helped with the illustrations, my daughter did the front cover and my son does the website," said Elaine.

"Writing the poetry is the easy bit. My husband types it all, which is probably the hardest job."

Manna From Heaven is the fifth book of poetry by Elaine, who in 2006 also published a children's novel called Auntie Relda's Journey.

"Each book takes a long time," said Elaine, whose books raise money for charity - in this case the Manna Community Project in Kajiado, Kenya. "I self-publish to maximise the amount of money I can raise."

The Manna Community Project supports the work of a children's home for orphans.

"It's working to help the local Maasai people. They need clean water and they desperately need medical care - the basics of life."

New hands will feel life's callous; New hands bruise at disappointment's pain; Dusted down on the long walk to freedom; Until only equality and compassion remain. Exert from New Hands to Lift the Burden by Elaine Coltham

Elaine writes in her spare time when not working as a teaching assistant and her previous books have also supported charities close to her heart.

"It's often charities I've been personally involved with like the Tear Fund, where I worked as a volunteer."

So far Elaine has raised over £2000 for charity.

"I raised money for the Salvation Army because I wanted to do something to help the homeless."

Manna From Heaven contains 15 poems. Each one has an introduction explaining the inspiration behind the poem along with drawings and Bible readings.

Copies are £7 each, with £3 going to The Manna Community Project.

You can find out more by visiting the Elaine Coltham website .