GAMBIAN PROJECTS FUNDRAISING EVENING

OUR FUNDRAISING EVENT AT THE B BAR ON PLYMOUTH'S BARBICAN RAISED A
WHOPPING £1449, SO WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO BEING ABLE TO SEND OUR
CONTAINER OUT TO THE GAMBIA. THE EVENING WAS THE RESULT OF A LOT OF
HARD WORK BY MANY INDIVIDUALS. BARRY EWART SET UP THE EVENT, SO
SPECIAL THANKS TO HIM FOR ALL HIS EFFORTS. DAN, COLIN AND KATIE AT THE
B-BAR (WWW.B-BAR.CO.UK) WERE BRILLIANT HOSTS AND WE WERE ENTERTAINED BY
THE TALENTED WILL MCNICOL, BENNY (GUITAR) CARR AND THE HOT RATS AND
ELVIS PRESLEY (ALIAS DUNCAN HIGHET). CATHERINE AND TIM HAMLYN AND TINA
BRECKONS WORKED HARD ALL EVENING SQUEEZING MONEY OUT OF EVERY WALLET
AND PURSE, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED AND SUPPORTED THIS
IMPORTANT FUNDRAISING EVENT. CHECK OUT WWW.GAMBIANPROJECTS.COM FOR A
FULL LIST OF THE COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO GENEROUSLY DONATED
FABULOUS RAFFLE AND AUCTION PRIZES TO HELP US RAISE THIS SIGNIFICANT
SUM. RACHEL TAYLOR WORKED VERY HARD RUNNING ABOUT COLLECTING PRIZES
AND DONATIONS, REALLY PROUD OF YOU!!

A SPECIAL MENTION MUST GO TO SIOBHAN LAVERY AND HER DAUGHTER SHANNON
WHO TREKKED FROM KINGSKERSWELL TO PAIGNTON AND BACK RAISING £340, WELL
DONE LADIES!!

I WAS INVITED ONTO BBC RADIO DEVON EARLY ON SUNDAY MORNING TO REVIEW
THE NEWSPAPERS AND CHAT ABOUT GAMBIAN PROJECTS, THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THE
EXPERIENCE, MANY THANKS TO BELINDA AND DAN FOR THEIR KIND HOSPITALITY.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE PROGRAMME ON BBC IPLAYER, HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

DEBBIE

FUNDRAISE COUNTDOWN!

WE'RE NOW ON THE COUNTDOWN TO OUR FUNDRAISING EVENT NEXT WEEK AT THE
B-BAR ON THE BARBICAN. CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS OF THEIR
GREAT ENTERTAINMENT AND DELICIOUS THAI NOODLE BAR WWW.B-BAR.CO.UK.
HUGE THANKS TO DAN THOMPSON AND COLIN FOSTER FOR HOSTING THE EVENT ON
24TH FEB AT 8PM AND ALSO TO THE LOVELY MAMA TOKUS WHO WILL BE COMPERING
IN HER USUAL WITTY, WHACKY WAY

A SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO BARRY EWART WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, PRINTED
THE TICKETS AND IS GENERALLY A JOLLY NICE CHAP!

WE'VE RECENTLY SET UP A COMMITTEE TO HELP ME WITH MY WORK IN THE GAMBIA
AND I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT WE NOW HAVE THE FOLLOWING LOVELY PEOPLE
ON BOARD:

CATHERINE HAMLYN, CHAIR
TIM HAMLYN, VICE CHAIR
TINA BRECKONS, TREASURER
SIAN LANE, SECRETARY
LUCY BLAKE, PRESS AND PUBLICITY OFFICER
JAYNE MADDOCKS, SPONSORSHIP OFFICER
JOHN SCOTT, SPORTS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
DEBBIE WILLIAMS, PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICER

SARAH PRESTIGE AND BARRY EWART HAVE ALSO JOINED US AND HAVE ALREADY
BEEN MAKING VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR PROGRESS WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY
NOW BE STRONGER AND QUICKER WITH SUCH A WILLING AND ABLE TEAM. I'D
LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS AGREED TO GET
PERSONALLY INVOLVED WITH SUPPORTING GAMBIAN PROJECTS AND WOULD LIKE TO
SAY A SPECIAL THANKS TO TREVOR ANDERSON WHOSE UNSTINTING SUPPORT HAS
BEEN INVALUABLE OVER THE YEARS.

SO, BACK TO THE FUN! OUR FUNDRAISER ON 24TH WILL HAVE THE TALENTED
WILL MCNICOL ENTERTAINING US ON HIS GUITAR, ALONG WITH BENNY (GUITAR)
CARR AND THE HOT RATS. WE HAVE LOTS OF SUPERB RAFFLE AND AUCTION
PRIZES SO HOPE TO RAISE LOTS OF MONEY TOWARDS SENDING OUR CONTAINER
OUT, FULL OF MUCH NEEDED RESOURCES.

ANYONE WANTING TO BUY RAFFLE TICKETS WHO CAN'T MAKE IT ON THE NIGHT IS
WELCOME TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME ON 07596 249987 TO BUY THEM. PRIZES
INCLUDE A BRITTANY FERRIES RETURN TICKET TO FRANCE OR SPAIN FOR FOUR
PEOPLE WITH A CAR AND ON BOARD CABINS BOTH WAYS, THANK YOU BRITTANY
FERRIES!! THANKS TOO TO THE ASTOR HOTEL, NU-YU, WISPY STYLER, THE
ASSOCIATES, ENVY HAIR SALON, AND GRACIOUS ME FOR HAIR-DO'S, MASSAGES,
FACIALS, NAILS AND TANNING. SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE VERY BEAUTIFUL AFTER
YOU'VE FINISHED WITH THEM! KEEP FIT ENTHUSIASTS CAN WIN GYM
MEMBERSHIPS AT MCCAULEY'S AND BODY LINE GYMS; WE HAVE FAMILY TICKETS
FOR CREALY ADVENTURE PARK AND THE EDEN PROJECT AND TICKETS FOR BOWLING
AND THE PAVILIONS AS WELL AS VOUCHERS FOR TATTOOS AND CAR VALETING. WE
HAVE HAD MANY SMALLER PRIZES DONATED BY LOVELY INDIVIDUALS ALL TRYING
TO HELP US ACHIEVE OUR AIMS; THANKS TO SHIRLEY, ALISON, DOT, SYLVIA AND
BARBARA, YOUR DONATIONS ARE ALL GRATEFULLY RECEIVED. I'D LIKE TO SAY A
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO YVETTE PRESTON AND ROSE CHALK OF BODY SHOP AT HOME
FOR THEIR SUPPORT TOO, WE HAVE £150 OF WONDERFUL PAMPERING PRODUCTS
FROM THIS AMAZING COMPANY. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING ANITA RODDICK
AND SHE MADE A GREAT IMPRESSION ON ME (AS SHE DID ON ANYONE SHE MET
PERSONALLY). I WAS SO SAD WHEN SHE DIED BUT HER LEGACY LIVES ON IN
THE BODY SHOP AND ITS ETHICAL APPROACH TO BEAUTY, FAIR TRADE AND HUMAN
RIGHTS.

ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HAVING FREE BODY SHOP
PRODUCTS OR GETTNG A JOB WITH BODY SHOP AT HOME IS WELCOME TO GIVE ME A
RING ON 07596 249987. THERE ARE SOME AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
FOR ANYONE WANTING A JOB WITH HOURS TO SUIT THEM AND A GOOD INCOME.

SO, TIME FOR BED AND A LITTLE REST BEFORE I START ANOTHER BUSY DAY
TOMORROW. THE VAN IS FULL OF DONATED ITEMS AND I AM OFF TO THE STORE
IN THE MORNING TO UNLOAD BEFORE CROSSING THE TAMAR TO BURRATON SCHOOL
IN SALTASH TO COLLECT MORE ITEMS, KEEP THEM COMING, I'VE STILL GOT A
LITTLE ENERGY LEFT!!

GAMBIAN PROJECTS FUNDRAISING NIGHT

Wow!

My faith in human nature is soaring after the events of the past couple
of weeks. To help raise money to send out a container of useful items
to The Gambia, our fundraising night at the B Bar on 24th Feb includes
a raffle and auction. I've been emailing and knocking on various doors
to request prize donations and have been overwhelmed as only one place
said no (will not mention them!!), every single one of the following
wonderful organisations have donated an amazing prize to help us in our
quest. I have to say a special thank you to Rachel Taylor, an
energetic whirlwind who has zipped around Plymouth collecting prizes
too, totally amazing! Thank you to the following and apologies to
anyone not listed yet, there will be a roll of honour on the night!!
Brittany Ferries have offered a return ferry crossing from Plymouth to
Roscoff or Santander for four passengers and a car including a four
berth cabin each way, The Body Shop at Home have donated £150 of fab
products, The Barbican Kitchen a voucher to dine! Anyone needing to
beautify themselves can buy raffle tickets for fabulous hair-do's, nail
treatments, facials and massages or sun tanning, care of The
Associates, Gracious Me, Nu Yu and Wispy Styler. The Eden Project and
Crealy Adventure Park have given family tickets and Superbowl and the
Pavilions have also made us proud! With gym memberships for McCauleys
and Body Lines up for grabs along with a £100 tatoo and car valeting,
we have loads of great prizes to offer our winners. So, where can you
buy your tickets? Get in touch with Debbie on 07596 249987 or
Catherine on 700579 and be in with a chance of winning one of the great
prizes mentioned or keep updated on here for additional prizes not yet
mentioned!! Tickets for the event still available (only a few left!)
at just £5. Thanks to the B Bar, Katie Thompson, Will McNicol and Benny
Carr and the Hot Rats for all their kindness too, it's going to be a
great night!

On 24th February, we are holding a fundraising evening at the B Bar on
Plymouth Barbican from 8pm. Kind hosts Dan Thompson and Colin Foster
have loaned us the venue for the night and we have the talented Will
McNicol on guitar and lively band Benny "Guitar" Carr and the Hot Rats
and funky Mama Tokus MCing for the night. With a raffle and charity
auction and tickets at only £5 we're in for a great night. We are
raising funds to send a container of donated items over to the Gambia
to help improve the lives of many more of the children there. We need
your support so if you would like to buy a ticket or raffle tickets or
donate a raffle or auction prize then get in touch with Debbie today on
07596 249987. All donations will be acknowledged and we will promote
any businesses or services that help us in our efforts.

Gambian Projects Fundraising Night

What a contrast!

Leaving the beautiful Gambian sunshine and azure blue skies to arrive
48 hours delayed in frosty Britain was hard. Having just spent
Christmas with my family, I have appreciated all the food, drink and
goodies on offer but have to say that I find it all slightly crazy.
The sheer amount of food (and waste) is just baffling. I watched the
Band Aid documentary a few days ago and just cannot comprehend the
misbalance and unfairness of the distribution of food in our global
world. The Herald ran an article on the homeless living in Plymouth and
I realised that if they were living in The Gambia, they would not be
living on the streets. In spite of the poverty of many Gambians, they
would always offer someone a bed and food, never leaving anyone outside
to sleep, even a complete stranger. Given the recent weather
conditions I cannot fathom how we let this deplorable situation happen
in our
so-called civilised community.

I'm going to be here in the UK for a while as my dear Dad is in
Derriford, having had his leg amputated in Spain a couple of months ago
and now suffering complications. Get well soon, Dad!
On February 24th, our kind hosts Dan and Colin, along with Mama Tokus
who will be compering, are holding a fundraising event for Gambian
Projects at the B Bar, on Plymouth Barbican. It starts at 8pm and
tickets just £5 are available from Debbie on 07596 249987. The
proceeds of
the event will help pay for another container of useful items heading
out to
The Gambia in the Spring. A huge thanks to Reg Hackworthy of Plymouth
Self
Storage who has again sponsored a storage unit for us.

If anyone has any items they would like to donate please get in touch
with Debbie
by email on dwdebs@aol.com. We are also looking for sponsors for the
event as
we will be holding a charity auction and raffle to boost funds. So if
you had too much
for Christmas, feel free to donate anything you don't want/need as
auction or raffle
prizes!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the Editor and all the
staff at The Herald who
have been great supporters of Gambian Projects since we started.
Wishing you all
a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year and all the best in 2011.

Until next time

Debbie