We are very grateful that all our warehouses are on loan but it has it downside and we are now on short notice to quit one of the two in Nottingham and have to make some hasty moves. The dates for containers for Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia have been brought forward and will be loaded in the next two weeks (besides the planned three for Zambia, Pakistan and Tanzania from Mansfield!). At least the weather’s good this year!
On 18th December another huge lorry departed from the Harrogate warehouse bound for the orphanage, school and women’s refuge in eastern Hungary. It was absolutely stuffed with warm clothing and bedding from Mansfield and Harrogate amongst all the furniture for these desperate places. On 22nd December a 40′ container was dispatched from Beckenham, Kent – direct from a school closure to Orangi, Karachi, Pakistan. Two of our team went down with all the books and schools uniform to fill all the drawers and cupboards donated from the school.
In January 2012 our plans are for two containers to Pakistan (one medical and one schools), two to Zambia (one medical and one schools), one to Uganda for a special university study of the effect of a large donation orthopaedic equipment and perhaps another to Rwanda!
Charity chairman David Scott returned on 12th September 2011 from examining projects and deliveries in Zambia, and he was smiling from ear to ear! Please see the photograph gallery for the pictures but he reports that following the visit by the party of 2o in July 2010, that all their special preparations to label boxes and goods for particular remote village schools was worth the time and effort because everything was in place; school attendance had increased; staff recruitment retention was self-evident; and that lives and communities had been changed forever. The twinning of a high school in the UK and at Nyimba, Zambia had taken on a huge importance to the remote dusty town and had massive potential for students in both schools.
The first lorry from our new Harrogate warehouse left on 5th September for special projects in Hungary. Local Harrogate men Tony Fraser and Brian Anderson have been helping the Canaan House womens refuges and schools for some years and are happily throwing their lot in with NPAC to share goods, space and expertise. Geoff Staples, an NPAC driver drove our lorry out to Papa as a volunteer but came back with a commercial load to subsidise costs. He repeats the exercise in three weeks with a run to Elbasan in Albania.
Over the last two years we have been buying 40′ containers with the intention of leaving them on site in remote areas of Africa for use as storage or homes, once our goods have been emptied. This also gives us plenty of time to fill them professionally! Some local young people with help from professional artists Simon have enjoyed graffiti painting them before they’ve been dispatched. Look through the pictures in the gallery and see if you can spot them here and in their final resting places in Africa.
Our Mansfield warehouse has been home to goods generated over 12 months for the Taleh Medeh and the Al-Ain International Trust. Al-Ain was established in 2003 with the primary objective of providing free medical care at the Hope Hospital, Chakwa and NPAC have been helping collect and store goods for this wonderful group of people. Our resident medical equipment guru Martin Holman is travelling out again to help repair and install the finer parts. We are proud to have been able to help!
The first of three containers left for different and special projects in Ghana at the beginning of September. The first from Kings Mill Hospital Mansfield under the care of Dr Asuman, to King David’s medical centre, Accra; the second with Sarah Smithurst from our Mansfield warehouse contains redundant protective police equipment for Ghana’s ill-equipped police service (plus some choice things for special schools and orphanages); the third leaves next year with our driver Chris Hopkinson, from his Blidworth Church – to special projects already in place.
After months of planning and weeks of packing the annual three lorry run to Albania set off at 0900 from Mansfield (see pics in gallery). The four volunteer lorry drivers – having taken two weeks leave from work – set off in fully loaded borrowed lorries for the 2,500 mile round trip via France and Italy to catch a ferry in Bari on Wednesday.
After tipping in Gramsh, Elbasan, Mamurras and Shkodra they will run home with commercial loads picked up in Italy to help defray the costs. What heroes!
Saturday 9th April saw us raise £700 profit from a 1940′s themed dinner dance – if you call bread and dripping dinner! The Beeston Big Band played three, one hour slots and everyone danced the night away at the Creswell Community Centre. Thanks to everyone concerned ut especially Pam and Jack who took all the risks and did all the planning that made it go so well. . Pics in Gallery
Over three days, the whole NPAC team turned out to pack every last square inch of the three trailers destined for Albania next week. See the pictures in our gallery!
