BIG-HEARTED TEEN DONATES BIRTHDAY CASH

Kind-hearted Lucy Russell celebrated her 13th birthday recently with a night to remember but she may have trouble recalling what presents she got because she asked people to donate money to HELPING instead!  

Lucy wanted all her friends to come to her disco party but instead of bringing gifts, she 'charged admission' by asking them to hand over an envelope containing a donation.  Members of Lucy's family also joined in with more gifts of money for the charity.  Well done Lucy!

HUNGRY TUCK-SHOPPERS FUND LUNCHES

Peckish students at St Edmund's College near Ware have presented HELPING with £180 from sales in their tuck shop.  Margaret and Chris Meeks visited the school to collect the cheque and chat to the young people there.  The students have asked that their money be used to pay for school lunches in HELPING's nurseries.

A FUNDRAISING IDEA YOU MIGHT WANT TO COPY!

We have heard about two supporters who are using their birthday party as a HELPING fundraiser!  
 
Mike and Sue Duff from Thames Ditton in Surrey are planning a joint birthday bash for Mike's 80th and Sue's 70th.  They have requested donations in lieu of gifts and have asked that the money they raise should go towards the costs of developing HELPING's Women's Skills Centre, a project which will cost in the region of £17,000 in total when completed.  So a big 'Thank you' to Mike and Sue for their generosity. 

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COMING SOON

This time last year, I was preparing to visit Gambia with my son to teach at Pakau Njogu Lower Basic School during the February half-term holiday.  I am a teaching assistant in a secondary school and at the time, my son was in Year 13.  I had travelled in Africa before but while my son was used to roughing it on Scout camps and had visited tourist destinations like Marrakech, Gambia promised to be a real eye-opener for him.

I kept a diary of our week in Gambia and thought it would be nice to share some extracts from it via the blog. Many people have asked me what it is really like to live in a village, so for those who are trying to decide whether or not to visit their sponsor child or considering volunteering in a school, perhaps this will help them make up their minds.

WORDS OF THANKS FROM THE GAMBIA

Margaret received the following poem this week. We would like to share it with all our sponsors and supporters as it really illustrates how much your help is appreciated by the individuals and communities who benefit from it.

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MY NAME IS BUBACARR JAHATEH

I HAVE A POEM TO READ ENTITLED THE HELPING CHARITY.

HELPING CHARITY HELPING CHARITY

YOU SPREAD THE LIGHT OF UNITY, SUCCESS, TRANQUILITY AND EDUCATION IN FASS BASIC CYCLE SCHOOL OUR FATHERS ARE PROUD OF YOU INFINITE LABOUR.

OUR MOTHERS ARE RELIEF FROM BUYING SCHOOL MATERIALS AND PAYING SCHOOL FEES

WHEN EVER WE HEAR YOU ARE COMING TO THIS GREAT SCHOOL OUR HEARTS ARE FILL WITH LOVE, PRIDE AND HAPPINESS, OUR EYES ARE EAGER TO SET ON YOU.

OUR MOUTHS ARE HAPPY TO EXCHANGE WORDS WITH YOU

OUR HANDS ARE FULL OF POWER TO SHAKE HANDS WITH YOU

OUR EARS ARE SET ON RECORD TO REGISTER ALL YOUR GOOD WORDS, YOUR PRODUCTIVE ADVICES AND UNFLINCHING SUPPORT  THAT YOU HAVE IMPACTED IN THIS SCHOOL.

YOUR EFFORTS CANNOT BE MEASURED, BY OURSELVES OUR TEACHERS, OUR PARENTS, MOREOVER THE HEAD OF SCHOOL MR HONOURABLE JARRA.

YOUR SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY HAVE SHARPLY AND HEAVYLY IN CREASES THE QUANITIES AND QUALITY OF STUDENTS IN FASS BASIC CYCLE SCHOOL

SINCE THE HELPING CHARITY FILM OUR SCHOOL IS NATIONALLY KNOW

AS A RESULT OF HER PRODUCTIVE OUTCOME AND IT’S HEAVENLY ACADEMIC AND MORAL EXCELLENCE

HELPING CHARITY ARE THE SOURCE OF LIGHT THAT GIVE THE WORLD LOVE, CARE, SYMPATHY, PERSEVERANCE AND EDUCATION

HELPING CHARITY ORGANISATION THANK YOU SO MUCH 

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If you have any comments about the poem or anything else in the blog or about HELPING, we would love to receive them.  There is a comments icon at the end of each post. 

Happy New Year

We enter 2013 with big plans for HELPING already under way and Chris and Margaret about to depart for Gambia to spend two months visiting projects, overseeing developments and progress and carrying out research in to how we can further help the poorest communities.

However, before they depart, Margaret will be visiting St Edmund's School near Ware to pick up a cheque raised by sales in their tuck shop and will have the opportunity to chat to students and explain why their donation is so important and how even amounts which may seem modest in terms of the UK economy can make a big difference in Gambia.

Our most ambitious plan is to build a small lodge on the North Bank near Fass School to provide simple accommodation for people visiting our projects.  The need has arisen because of the difficulties of crossing the river from the tourist areas on the South Bank where all the holiday accommodation is located.  There is no tourist accommodation on the North Bank but the ferry service is so slow and unreliable that it is almost impossible to make a visit to a project in one day including a river crossing from the South.  

We plan to build a basic accommodation block which will provide a base for our supporters when they visit.  Volunteers will have somewhere to live while they teach in the village schools and Chris and Margaret will be able to make extended visits to the North Bank without being hampered by long waits and time wasted on ferry crossings.

The Fundraising Committee held its first meeting of the year this week and outlined a programme of events including a summer Ceilidh, another of Marian's fantastic Luxury Afternoon Teas, a couple of quiz nights and a silly games barbecue evening for September!  You may even see us dressed in African costume at Hertford Carnival!  We're also looking to organise another 'meal with music'.  So please check the blog regularly to see what we have planned.  

We'd also really like to hear about events being planned in other places other than Stanstead Abbotts!  We know that our supporters nationwide and beyond hold their own fundraisers and we'd like to feature you on the blog.  So, if YOU are organising an event to support HELPING, please e-mail lesley@helpingcharity.org.uk  with the details and we will include it in the blog.

DIARY DATES

Have a look below for forthcoming events you can put in your diary NOW!

April 15th - Annual General Meeting, 7.30pm, Wilshire Hall, Stanstead Abbotts.  Chris and Margaret will be freshly returned from Gambia and will report on all our projects.  All welcome.  
 
May 6th - Standon May Day fete, Standon nr Ware

May 18th - Luxury Afternoon Tea, Stanstead Abbotts.  This was a HUGE success last year and we were inundated with last minute bookings.  As we have to limit ticket numbers, please e-mail marian@helpingcharity.org.uk to book early to avoid disappointment. 

June 22nd - Ceilidh with live music and caller, Stanstead Abbotts.  Booking details to follow.