Fundraising: Farm Stays For Kelvin Grove Pupils

Aim

Our children's book is raising money to help Kelvin Grove Primary School children from poorer families stay at Farms For City Children.

The children and the barrier

Kelvin Grove Primary School is a warm, inclusive school with a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils and children with special educational needs. Their Year 5 farm holiday with Farms For City Children (FFCC) is often a child’s first time in the countryside: feeding animals, cooking together, sleeping away from home, and building confidence as part of a team. 

FFCC subsidises half the cost of each visit, but even with this help, some families at Kelvin Grove still cannot afford to send their child. We don’t want any child to miss out because of money. 

Our solution: a children’s book that funds farm places

We’re Mark, a dad, and his two children, Theodor (11) and Eloise (9). Together we created the Binmouth Books series: a set of quirky, heart‑warming illustrated stories for children aged 5–8, born from chats on walks to school and kitchen-table scribbles. Theodor and Eloise illustrate each book; I do not, you'd be glad to know.

"So clever and funny. Loved the idea, the wordplay, the writing overall. It was so 'binteresting'." Bill Nagelkerke (children's author & member of the international jury for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards on Book 1, 'A Trip To Binmouth'). 

Our second book, "Binta Claus Is Coming To Town", is a fun Christmas tale featuring our six main dustbin characters:

• Wheelie – a daredevil with only one wheel  
• Binta – the bin who loves to joke  
• Binathon – serious and studious  
• Bindarella – a bit of a princess with a diva’s attitude  
• Binjamin – always up for a sugar rush  
• Stinky – well… typically smelly  

This crowdfunder offers the first printed editions of "Binta Claus Is Coming To Town". All profits from the campaign will go directly to Kelvin Grove to help fund FFCC places for children who need financial support. 

What your money will achieve

FFCC states that many of their beneficiaries come from the most deprived areas in England and Wales, and that subsidies are essential to enable access.   

Our aim is to raise £4000. At around a cost of £400 per child, Kelvin Grove will allocate the funds as they see fit; either to subsidise full trips or to alleviate the costs on financially stretched families.

Every pledge, large or small, moves us closer to ensuring no child misses this experience solely because of cost.

Rewards: what you’ll receive

We’ve designed rewards that thank you while directly supporting the children:

• First printed edition of "Binta Claus Is Coming To Town." Be among the first to own our new Christmas tale, with illustrations by Theodor and Eloise.  
• Signed copies – a signed copy of "Binta Claus Is Coming To Town" from the authors.  
• Illustrated postcards – a set of postcards featuring original artwork from the book, including scenes and the characters that make up the book. Perfect for framing or sending festive greetings. 
• Magical story keyring – a custom keyring that plays back one of us reading  the book, so that the story can travel with you.  

All books and postcards will be produced by Mixam, who produce quality products that we trust.

Why this matters

For many Kelvin Grove children, the FFCC stay is more than a trip: it’s a chance to try new things, make friends across year groups, and see a part of the country they might never otherwise visit.   

By supporting this crowdfunder, you’re helping create memories these children will carry for life.

How you can help

• Pledge now to receive your book and rewards while funding farm places.  
• Share this page with friends, family, and anyone who loves children’s books, Christmas stories, or local school projects.  
• Follow our updates to see how many children we’re able to send and hear from the school and FFCC.  

If you can spare £5 or more, you’ll be helping a child from Kelvin Grove experience a week on a farm they might otherwise miss. 

Thank you for considering supporting our project. 

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 7th November 2026 at 7:00pm