France/The Niort bakers' galette des Rois initiative: a bean to help children in difficulty

In Niort, the traditional galette des Rois is adorned with a touch of solidarity. Behind this gourmet initiative lies invaluable support for schoolchildren experiencing difficulties at school.

The partnership between Flu bakery and the Graph O'Bus association aims to combine gourmet delights with the fight against school drop-out. Graph O'Bus works to "help children put words to their problems". It supports those suffering from dysgraphia, a disorder that complicates writing, making it difficult to trace letters and reread. According to Patrick Vix, a volunteer with the association, these difficulties make note-taking slower and learning more difficult. With a Niort-based graphotherapist, he travels around the department in a camper van, offering diagnosis, advice and adapted therapies.

For Epiphany, Delphine and Thierry Flu, bakers in Niort, decided to support the initiative. Each galette des Rois contains a bean made in France, in Isère, by workers with disabilities, entitling them to a free diagnosis. The small porcelain medallions all feature a school-themed drawing by Patrick Vix himself. Part of the profits from sales will be donated to the association. For Delphine Flu, it's a way of "supporting an association that fights for our kids".

Source: www.lanouvellerepublique.fr