Coalville Dreamscheme launches pen pal link-up with Ugandan children

Youngsters who belong to the Coalville Dreamscheme in Stoke-on-Trent are putting pen to paper to make friends with young people in Africa.

The Dreamscheme – which is run by Coalville Residents Association with the support of local development company, the Compendium Group - is an initiative for youngsters which enables them to earn points for carrying out community projects such as litter picking. The points gained can then be exchanged for trips and outdoors activities. The Dreamscheme coordinator for North Staffordshire is Tammie Hill, who works for Midland Heart.

The Dreamscheme, which recently twinned with the Maganjo Dreamscheme in Uganda, is now setting up a pen pal scheme so that members of the Ugandan and English schemes can write to each other.

On Wednesday, 24 October, there will be a special launch of the pen pal scheme attended by two Ugandan Dreamscheme leaders. At the launch, the Coalville members will have the opportunity to find out more about life for their Ugandan counterparts, and to write their first letters.

“It would be great for the two Dreamschemes to have a lot more contact,” says Compendium Group regeneration officer Gemma Sargeant, who has been closely involved with the Dreamscheme. “It will be interesting for both groups to find out how the other works, and for the members to learn more about each other’s lives and cultures.” The Dreamscheme is one of a number of local community initiatives backed by the Compendium Group which is redeveloping the Coalville estate with new homes for rent, shared ownership and sale.

Launched in 2005, the Coalville Dreamscheme has around 36 members, aged between nine and 16.