Tuesday 13th February 2024

At an early morning meeting in Agatha's office, I was casually playing with a puppet I found on a shelf, and was told 'that's from Madam Sandra's toy factory - all the toys in this office are from her toy factory'. Needless to say, I was stunned! Madam Sandra, who established a school that now has over 3,500 students, is an established lawyer, has her own textile factory, and now I find she has her own toy factory too. This woman is truly amazing! Of that, there is no doubt!

I did some more lesson observations, and was then asked to do a sing-a-long with 250 3-4 year-old Nursery children, so of course I said: 'No problem!' I then found out, what I thought would be a relaxed singing session in a room somewhere, was me singing with a microphone outside in the blazing heat of the day, which was a considerable challenge. After only one hearty rendition of 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes', I was absolutely soaked with sweat and nearly passing out!

Madam Sandra asked if we would accompany her to see the whole of her fabric process - from the dying of the cotton, to the weaving of the material, to the shop outlet - and then on to her toy factory - this afternoon, and it was quite honestly, an amazing experience that I will never forget, The dye factory was out in the countryside, way off the beaten track, and the weaving factory was on an industrial estate, whilst the shop outlet and toy factory were more in town.

As well as the people in the weaving factory, Madam Sandra employs around 75 home weavers, and the same with the toy factory, which employs around 200 people in the factory, and an additional 200 sewing at home. I suggested to her in her own outlet shop, that she must be extraordinarily proud of what she has achieved in life, but in her characteristically humble, modest fashion, she just shrugged her shoulders, and said: 'It is what it is!' I admire this woman so much!

I took so many photos today that I simply don't know where to begin or end, so you will see LOADS (32 photographs in all)! There are two of my sing-a-long with 250 Nursery children outside, then a whole host of photographs from one of the best afternoons I have ever experienced!