E is for Elephant, G is for Giraffe, H is for Hippo, M is for Monkey ... these are just a few of the animals that will be sharing my riverside camp, stealing my breakfast, in turns terrifying and delighting me for two weeks this summer when I volunteer with the Book Bus, a mobile library in the remote wilds of northern Zambia.

On 13 August 2014, I'll be celebrating my birthday reading, storytelling, and bringing those stories to life (with paint, paper and performance) in rural schools and communities in the South Luangwa Valley: find it on a map!

Instead of cards or presents, I'm asking family and friends to make a contribution (no amount is too small) to the brilliant Book Bus, a registered charity that works hard to put a book into the hands of every child, in places where access to schools is limited (classes regularly have between 50 and 80 children in them, with just one teacher) and where the tools of literacy are in short supply. 

The Book Bus requires each volunteer to make a donation of £749. My friend Hélène is joining me on this bookish adventure, so I want to double the donation and raise £1498.

ALL of the money donated will go directly to The Book Bus to fund its activities, like buying books as well as buses and driving them, along rough roads, from school to school. NONE of it will go towards my transportation, accommodation or food (I've already taken care of that). 

If you want to learn more about the excellent work of the Book Bus and see some of the volunteers in action, visit its website:

www.thebookbus.org

THANK YOU! Pictures and stories will certainly follow, but for a taster see below!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.