AN author and former teacher from the Forest hopes that stories from a new book about his travels to Kenya will help highlight the value of international schools partnerships.

Former Dene Magna School teacher Mr Iain Baird, 68 and of Berry Hill, has written a book called ‘Jambo, Mr Iron Bird’, which chronicles his many visits to a Kenyan school over the years thanks to an international partnership scheme.

The book is curated from journals which Mr Baird has kept since his first visit there in 1999.

He says the book is full of descriptions of the culture and “amusing incidents” which occurred during his travels, including his inspiration behind the book’s title.

“On my first visit I was wrongly introduced to a class of Kenyan students, by the Kenyan teacher, as Mr Iron Bird”, Mr Baird explained.

“When I later told the other Gloucestershire teachers, who were part of the group, they thought it was very amusing and it became my nickname for the rest of the visit.

“I later adopted it as my e-mail address.”

He said of what took him to Kenya in the first place: “It was when my school, Dene Magna School, was twinned with a school in Kenya and a grant from the British Council was obtained to allow a teacher to visit their partner school.

“I was fortunate to be asked to be that teacher.

“I soon realised that the school twinning would open opportunities for the students at both schools to communicate and learn from each other.

“Many young people have inaccurate views of African countries.

“They are either negative views, resulting from the reports of war, famines and corruption that they see on news programmes about Africa, or erroneous views formed from nature programmes, that lions and elephants are wandering about everywhere.

“The partnership could help to correct these false impressions.”

Mr Baird says he hopes readers enjoy the book and learning about Kenya as well as the importance of international school partnerships.

Since leaving teaching 10 years ago, he has setup his own business to support local schools with international links and global education.

“Kenya has developed enormously since I first visited, so I hope that my descriptions are not perceived as being derogatory about Kenya”, he continued.

“I hope that readers will also learn something about the culture of this fascinating country and also the importance of international school partnerships to help our young people learn about the world beyond the borders of the UK.

“The school partnership programme that was established in the Forest of Dean, with three of its secondary schools and many primary schools, provided invaluable opportunities for over 150 young people to visit Kenya and over 50 teachers.

“It is a great shame that the pandemic brought an end to this amazing programme and that the grants that supported these international school partnership programmes have been greatly curtailed.”

He said of those who made his trips to Kenya happen: “My visits, and therefore the book, would not have happened without the support of many teachers from Forest schools and the commitment of many hundreds of pupils who helped to raise funds to allow the exchange visits to take place.

“It was an enormous privilege to have been part of the Tujuane Project that involved students Dene Magna School, Newent School and Lakers School (now Five Acres High School) and their Kenyan partner schools.

“I have made many friends locally and in Kenya, as the result of my involvement, and would encourage current teachers to grab at any opportunity to be involved with similar international twinning projects.”

The book will be on sale at the Forest Books and Craft shop in Coleford or by contacting Iain at [email protected].

All profits from the sale of the book will be donated to a UK-based charity called ‘To Kenya With Love’, that runs an “amazing” school and support system for vulnerable slum families in Kisumu, Kenya’s third city.