A Dundee school has received a framed print of The Beano’s special royal edition to bolster its project supporting a Kenyan school library.
Elspeth Scott, the librarian at Menzieshill High School, applied to the comic for a print when it hit the shelves earlier this year.
A group from the school had been fundraising for a year to go out to Kenya in July. It now hopes to raise even more money by auctioning or raffling off The Beano print.
The team stayed in the rural area of Kandaria, where they helped build the library.
Ms Scott said: “We did a bit of brick shifting and brick laying. It was hard work but very rewarding and I think the pupils got a lot out of it.”
By the time they went to Kenya the team had already raised thousands of pounds, but when she saw The Beano strip, Ms Scott got in touch with the comic to see if they could raise more money to furnish and paint the library.
Beano artist Nigel Parkinson signed the print pages and script writer Claire Bartlett presented them to Ms Scott. The edition featured the importance of reading with the opening of the Bash Street School library.
The Beano editor-in-chief Mike Stirling said: “Every issue of The Beano delivers fresh vocabulary, perfectly pitched humour and entertaining storylines.
“The Beano is engaging for reluctant readers because it uses fewer words than a typical story book and scaffolds the experience with descriptive pictures. It also uses correct English to deliver the stories.
“Reading is a core life skill but it can be difficult to convince children, especially when they’re absorbed in modern technology.
“Comics serve as a gateway to reading, creating interest and enthusiasm.”
The school has not yet decided on the best way to raise money from the print.
Ms Scott said: “We will hang it up in the foyer and every time someone comes into the school we will offer them the choice to buy a raffle ticket.”