Thursday 28 October 2010

Chance encounters

Really nice how things work out. We chat to someone on the way home from The Gambia last April, then, a few weeks ago, a 'phone call offering help, today, a meeting in the car park of a local hotel and now - a car boot full of reading glasses/mobile 'phones & children's clothes, all of which, thanks to Thomas Cook, will be finding new Gambian owners before Christmas!
You know who you are - many thanks. Sometimes words aren't enough!

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Respect!

Respect!
Football isn't one of my great interests in life nowadays.
When one player can 'earn' more in a couple of months more than many people (me included) earn in a lifetime of work I begin to think that something has gone sadly wrong. I love to see the game played by youngsters who play because they love to play. The boys in this picture play with great enthusiasm and skill and good humour.
Maybe they do dream of playing for Man United or Chelsea or ... and there's no harm in that. Meanwhile, they play with great energy and enjoyment and that I can and do respect, greatly. It's something a lot of the richest players in the world could learn from them.
Rant over! Just a thought though - Joyce would love to watch a team of Gambian girls playing in the Cricket World Cup on day soon - how about it, girls?

Saturday 16 October 2010

Slowly getting there!

We've booked! Next stage is writing the Thomas Cook to see if they'll allow extra free baggage - they usually are very good because we're a registered charity, so fingers crossed. We've been offered educational and medical supplies together with some clothing and we've made to usual requests for mobile 'phones, laptops and reading glasses. We're also taking out a few tin and bottle openers - seeing friends opening bottles of Malta with their teeth is frightening!
Paul and Jenny have been working on the new web site and we'll let you know when it's up and running.
We sold the old broken outboard motor for scrap and the money is in the charity a/c - thanks to the generous buyer.
I'm working fairly hard on the next book but it's not flowing very well - must lock myself away somewhere and put nose to keyboard ...
Each time we go into town we buy a few tubes of ointment, bandages, plasters, skin cream and that sort of thing. We get great medical advice from the travel clinic at out local surgery and from T. at Superdrug.
We've renewed our travel insurance and we have permanently crossed fingers to avoid any of the illnesses that put us out of action earlier in the year - crossed fingers make typing very difficult!
Looking forward so very much to seeing our Gambian friends again.
Best wishes & thanks for reading,
Tom.

Friday 8 October 2010

Next visit

Booked! Packed? Don't be silly - there's heaps of time! We had a surprise 'phone call from some one we'd spoken to on our way home last March and were delighted to find out they have been busy collecting things which will be of great value out in The Gambia. We expect a delivery shortly!
As you're reading this just check to see if there are any surplus laptops, mobile 'phones or reading glasses longing for a longer life in the sun! Email us at the usual address or leave a message on 01925-264926. We also take medical supplies which we donate to hospitals and clinics - we're not qualified to prescribe ourselves.
£3 0r £4 pounds (depending on the exchange rate) provides protection from malaria and provides the netmaker with an income.

Best of all - go to The Gambia yourself, if you can. There are some really good travel bargains about at the monent.

Thanks for reading this. Our new website should be up and running shortly (thanks, Jenny & Paul).
We'll keep this blog going as well.

Best wishes & thanks to all our supporters,
Joyce & Tom.