The first books have arrived

As you can see from this great picture of Mucki with a junior class from the school the first set of Junior text books have arrived. The kids, we are told, are delighted with them as are the teaching staff. Thanks everybody for making this happen.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY !

Thanks to everybody in East Hagbourne and beyond who contributed stationary, toothbrushes, tennis balls, paracetamol, crayons, rubbers, pencil sharpeners, soap, skipping ropes, plasters and torches for us to take to the school. We had had a fantastic response - and as long as Andy does not put his back out carrying it all, the school will be delighted.

The appeal for stuff culminated in this morning's coffee morning which was a great success. Andy laboured over a hot stove making bacon butties while Beth baked for England (or should that be The Gambia). The village girls contributed some lovely extra cakes too and good fun and good company was enjoyed by all.

Here's some snaps of the event (click on any of them to open in a new window) ...

Many of the lovely things that folk have donated before the event.

Beth looking a little nervous ! 

Cakes !

Andy with co-ordinating piny and pumps .

The card that folks signed.

Coffee any one ?

The kitchen filled up quickly

Tony and Rob

Amanda and Sarah

Beth making an announcement (loudly !)

Georgie Pennington signing the card

Charlie, Stuart, Abu, Rob, Charlie and Julia

Serious coffee drinking

Tony, Rob, Amanda and Sarah

Marcus, Alexander and Jasper

Catherine and Georgie

India tucking into cup cake

Jessica did not take too much persuasion to have another cake

Paddy and Joan (Joan very kindly did heaps of washing up !)

Carole from Sponsor a Gambian Child and her colleague Liz

'Didn't they do well' 

Beth looking a little frantic 

Muriel and Carole

Liz and Paddy deep in conversation

The end result ! FANTASTIC.  My nice display went out of the window, but who cares.
Now comes the hard part of sorting it all out for our trip

Ruth Semple you are a star

This was so kind of you Ruth
HANDS OFF Andy Barmer they are for the kids not you!

Thanks to our lovely friends at Blott

Just look what our lovely friends at the wonderful stationary company Blott have given us to take to the school.

Thank you so much - we are really grateful guys.

Oooh it's getting bigger

Andy needs to enrol at the school !

Inside English Book 1

I think Andy might need to enrol at the school. It took him ten minutes to answer question 5!

Thanks Everybody

We've raised £120 so far ! Thanks very much everybody.

Here's a snap of the books we're hoping to get. It is looking like we'll be getting them from the Timbooktoo bookshop in Bakau.

What a great name for a store !