They Say It’s The Hope That Kills You In The End …

… although, in this case, it’s the HOPE Foundation that’s saving lives. Vanessa O’Loughlin and Hazel Larkin curate THE BIG BOOK OF HOPE, an anthology of short stories, memoirs and non-fiction which was launched last week with the aim of raising funds for the HOPE Foundation. To wit:

This book will save lives. To live without hope is the ultimate deprivation. The HOPE Foundation reaches out to the street children of Kolkata, India, on a daily basis: rescuing sick and abandoned children; delivering food and clean water to the slums; providing crèches where destitute and slum-dwelling mothers can safely leave their children while they do what they can to earn money; running its health-care programme, including its new hospital; fighting child labour and child-trafficking; breaking the cycle of poverty through education in its many coaching centres. This extraordinary collection celebrates The HOPE Foundation and hopefully will play a significant role in publicizing and supporting its courageous work. A potent blend of fiction, memoir and non-fiction, the contributions explore the theme of 'hope' and its vital presence in all our lives. With its astonishing range of bestselling authors, political figures, business people and media celebrities, THE BIG BOOK OF HOPE has something for everyone. Alex Barclay, Maeve Binchy, Claudia Carroll, Don Conroy, Brian Crowley, Evelyn Cusack, Derek Foley, Anne Gildea, Brian Keenan, Sinead Moriarty, Denis O’Brien, Joseph O’Connor and over thirty other unlikely bedfellows rub shoulders in this unique anthology the only common denominator being their considerable talent. Buy this remarkable book and help to break the cycle of poverty for the street children of Kolkata. Buy this book and help save lives.

  Declaration of Interest: yours truly has a short story in the anthology, but please don’t let that put you off buying a copy …