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Hello! We're the University of East London's Student PEN Centre, and we are fundraising for our launch event which coincides with Pen & British Library-run International Translation Day on 30th September 2013.
We will be reading 60 books between us in 8 weeks - from Wednesday 19th June till Wednesday 14th August. That is, on average, 7.5 books a week - so, around two each. We will be writing a short 100-150 word ORIGINAL review on each book we read, which will go up on our blog, in order to prove that we ARE actually completing these books! We want to do this because we are passionate about the work that PEN do. They work within prisons, have translation programmes, work alongside refugees and soldiers and with young people, too. PEN International has 145 centres globally and campaigns to defend writers and readers all around the world whose human right to freedom of expression is at risk.
All money raised will go towards printing costs for posters, flyers and business cards for our launch event, as well as any potential fee we will need to pay performers, and any potential venue charges and decorations. Anything left over will dutifully go back to Helen, our treasurer, to go towards all future ventures such as coach hire to get our society to protests, ingredients for bake sales, and other venue/performer/printing costs.
The event itself (acts and programme to be confirmed) will be held in a central London venue (also TBC pending funding) after International Translation Day concludes at the British Library. This event is in collaboration with English PEN and Free Word Centre, from 09:00 to 17:00 on the same day. More details and tickets for that can be found here; http://www.englishpen.org/event/international-translation-day-2013/  
Depending on the amount you pledge to us (details below in the rewards section), you could receive free entry to our event, free membership to our society (if you are at UEL), a lovely thank you card from us all with quotes of writings that have been banned in their home countries, a chance to guest blog about one of the books, and a free copy of one of the banned titles that English PEN supports!
There are currently four of us taking part; all Creative and Professional Writing students in our second or third years of our degrees, and all passionate about human rights and freedom of speech/expression. We are; Mandy Lutman, Helen Lyman, Emerald Young and Sam Dodd. We are looking for additional society members too - if you're at UEL and are reading this, and you're interested in joining our growing and passionate society - please drop us a line!
Lastly - thank you SO MUCH for your support - we could not do this without you, and we appreciate it massively. Happy Funding!

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