Lovey UK

Lovey Foundation UK


Lovey Foundation Ghana’s sister organisation is Lovey Foundation UK. At the initiative of
Dr Yaa Asare,  the first  UK supporters of what later became Lovey Foundation UK met informally for the first time in Brighton on 7 August 2014. Yaa had been a visiting lecturer in the University of Winneba in Ghana in 2012, where she had been asked by Aruk Thomas Lateef (then a student teacher at the university) to lead the research in his native Bawku to facilitate his aim to set up what became Lovey Foundation Ghana, as described above. Lovey Foundation UK was formally established in the UK as a Community Based Organisation on 9 March 2016, when it adopted its first Constitution. Later, in October 2020, it was registered by the Charity Commission of England and Wales [charity no. 1191631]. Lovey Foundation UK raises funds and accepts grants and donations so that, working in partnership with Lovey Foundation Ghana, it can supply the materials needed to assist as many children as possible to attend school in Bawku Municipal District. 


Lovey Foundation UK Executive Committees

Daniel Valentine - Chairman

Daniel Valentine is Chair of Lovey Foundation UK. Daniel is a strong believer in the power of education to change lives. He has been fundraising for children’s charities for many years. “The work of Lovey Foundation is unique. Educational access is crucially important. We help hundreds of children who are amongst the hardest to reach in rural Ghana.

 Our work cannot be measured simply in quantitative terms but mainly by the life transforming power of education. Fundamental to our work is partnership, because we believe that giving money is not enough, local people have to be closely involved in design and delivery to avoid dependence and paternalism. I am very honoured to lead the work of this organisation. If you would like to contribute to our work, please do get in touch."

 Yaa Asare - Secretary

Secretary of Lovey Foundation (UK), Yaa Asare is a part-time lecturer at the University of Brighton.  She worked as a lecturer in Winneba, Ghana after achieving her doctorate, where she met Aruk Thomas and through him got involved with the Lovey Foundation. “I am delighted to be part of this fantastic organisation. I feel Lovey is unique in having such close links between Ghana and the UK, with both parties working hard to achieve shared objectives."

Lisa Jevsejenko - Treasurer

  I am qualified in finance and accountancy, work as a freelance bookkeeper and I'm also Mum to my lovely daughter. I too have been to school without appropriate uniform - and even lunch. I had to walk to college one way (more than an hour) as I lacked money for a ticket.
Photos of working children in a Lovey presentation made me cry and so, to support its mission,
I joined its friendly UK volunteers as Treasurer in February 2018.

Melvyn Walmsley

Melvyn was Acting Chair of Lovey Foundation (UK) until March 2023, having been a trustee since 2016.

Now retired after a career in secondary school teaching, public administration and careers advisory work, he is a part time photographer. "I can identify with the Foundation's life-changing work because, although my father passed the entrance exams, he couldn't go to grammar school. His parents couldn't afford to buy the school uniform".


Jenni Lewin-Turner

Jenni heard about the amazing Lovey Foundation initiative at the very first fundraising event featuring spoken word performances by Grace Nichols and John Agard.  She became involved in supporting Lovey to become formally established and develop organisational and fundraising strategies.

Jenni also visited the children in Ghana that Lovey supports and the schools they attend. Together with her son Caine, Jenni documented this trip and they were able to see first hand the huge impact of the work of both the UK and the Ghana committees, and the need for this work to continue - far beyond empowering individuals, the Lovey Foundation also enhances the life chances of families and the wider communities.



Charlotte Beskeen

I’m from a background of charitable fundraising, and for the last six years I've worked in membership development first for the National Trust and now another UK charity.
I was touched by reading about Bawku children's lives being changed for the better by the Lovey Foundation. So I was delighted to  become our UK Chair in January 2019 and I look forward to supporting them and working with colleagues in Ghana to realise our ambitions .

Armand Vigneswaren

I became aware of the great work that Lovey Foundation(UK) was doing  enabling children in Ghana to gain access to education and immediately wanted to become involved. This can and does change their lives as well as their families and can make such a difference to communities. I have spent many years working in small businesses and hope that this experience will be valuable in helping Lovey Foundation(uk) support even more children.

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