Teenager's book launch

AT just 16-years-old Limavady Grammar School student Ryan Lusby has already achieved what many may only do in their lifetime.

A debut book, a reign as chairman of Limavady borough's youth council, Junior Mayor, actively pursuing a major charity cause and now leading the search for Londonderry's 'Golden Acorn'.

On Saturday Ryan launched his book 'If Stones Could Speake ~ The Walled City Treasure Hunt'.

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The book is a photographic treasure hunt competition involving buildings and structures from around the historic Walled City of Londonderry. The lucky winner who scours the city and finds the home of each of the zoomed in images in Ryan's book will win the coveted 18 carat Gold Acorn worth 1,500.

"This is a treasure hunt with a difference in that there are no cryptic clues to solve and that the prizes are real treasures specially commissioned for this competition."

Ryan tells the Sentinel: "I decided to compile the book because I wanted to bring Derry's architecture to people's attention and a photographic treasure hunt was definitely the best way. The Acorn is symbolic of the Gaelic name of the City Doire. Also, it is symbolic of this small project from which it is hoped that a greater number of people will appreciate the rich shared built heritage of the City."

The competition is based on participants purchasing the treasure hunt book (RRP 9.99) and submitting an entry form clearly identifying the location of each photograph. As well as the 18 carat gold first prize, there are five solid silver Oak Leaves as runner up prizes. All of the profits raised from the sale of the treasure hunt book will be donated to the Kenya Fund organised by Limavady Grammar School aiming to build a Maasai girls' secondary school in Oloiyankalani, Kajiado, Kenya and to the local international charity Children in Crossfire.

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"The first person I asked for advice was my dad, to see if it was possible and when he said it was, I started work on it right away," explained the talented teenager. "I knew from the start that I wanted the proceeds to go to charity. The Kenya Fund jumped out from the start as a great cause. I kept costs down by doing the publishing myself, with all profit going to the cause," added Ryan.

Richard Moore, founder Children in Crossfire also heaped praise on the young author's efforts: "We are amazed and grateful for Ryan's support. The actions of an individual like Ryan Lusby can have a great impact on other peoples' lives. There are 134 million people in the world aged from 7 to 18 years old who have never been to school. With Ryan's support from the proceeds of his book, it will enable us to train teachers and provide educational equipment so that more children, including those with disabilities, can go to school." Richard continued: "Ryan's book is an example of a local citizen helping to restore the heritage of our City and as global citizen working towards breaking the cycle of poverty for some of the worlds' most vulnerable children."

The Treasure Hunt competition will run for 12 months with a sustained marketing campaign targeting not only local citizens but also Irish Diaspora in Britain, North America, Australia and New Zealand as well as the key tourism markets of Germany, France, South Africa and Japan. The Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau, The Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Tourism Ireland have agreed to help promote this project in the UK and in international markets. Copies of the book can be purchased from Limavady Borough Council's Tourist Information Centre and the Derry Visitor & Convention Bureau.

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