Peterborough council worker Ernest in need of support to donate items to children in Ghana
A Peterborough City Council worker is in need of support so he can visit his home town in Africa and distribute much-needed donated clothing.
Ernest Mensah-Sekyere moved to Peterborough in 2010 and soon felt right at home, getting a temporary job in the city council’s planning department.
He then took up a role as a council beadle and became well-known around the city for his warm personality and dedication to helping those less fortunate.
Ernest has taken many trips to Kumasi in his homeland of Ghana over the years to help distribute donated items to those in need, from school books and clothing to hospital equipment and football gear.
“During my time here, I had good council officers and councillors who supported my dream. And that dream was sending items to Ghana,” he said.
“I grew up in Ghana with support from many people and I realised that I can give a lot back.”
It was with the help of council officers that a charity group called Ernest’s Embrace was set up in his name in the early 2010s, which included a close partnership with Great Eastern Run organisers who donated unused items from the event.
Ernest even organised a fun run in Kumasi in 2014 which ran simultaneously with the Great Eastern Run in Peterborough, attracting hundreds of runners.
Although he has not been able to visit and donate as much in recent years, Ernest is hoping to return to Ghana next year to hand out several large bags of brand new school uniform.
Local Peterborough charity Family Voice donated £3,000 worth of brand new school uniform to parents across the city last month, and city councillor Kirsty Knight handed the leftover uniform to Ernest in the hope that it could help some African children in need.
“I looked at the stuff and realised it was quite new and would benefit a whole lot of people,” Ernest said.
“I thought it would be sad to add that to the trash so that’s why I’ve collected them, thinking in a year’s time I can take it [to Ghana].”
Cllr Knight said: “There was a lot of yellow uniform left over that is not used in many schools.
“I spoke to Ernest and asked if he would be interested in sending it to Africa and he said that yellow is one of the main colours. It’s brilliant that it’s going towards a good cause.”
Despite his plan to return to Ghana, Ernest noted that there was a substantial courier cost for shipping all the clothes over as well as his own travel costs, which he would struggle to cover himself.
Anyone who wants to offer support can email Ernest at [email protected]