The Container is on its Way!!!
The container was despatched on 10th June and was scheduled to arrive in Durban on 10th July. There it will encounter South African Customs Authorities . . . . so who knows when it will arrive at Monze!As usual it was stuffed full of items donated by supporters. There were 102 types of items and here are a few stories behind them:
Uniforms – a new contact for us, Alun Bryant of Dunvant Male Voice Choir, heard about us from British Red Cross in Neath and offered us some wonderful burgundy blazers. Jonah saw them, tried one on, and will distribute them as “staff uniforms”.
Similarly, Canton Methodist Church choir have replaced their sweatshirts (also red) and these also will be used by our headquarters staff.
Finally, Lliswerry High school has given us a large number of navy jumpers, which will soon be worn by Zambian children.
Cloth, Wool and Haberdashery – “it's an ill wind ….”
Well the one that caused the roof above Kath and Jim Charles' haberdashery shop in the Cwmbran Centre to leak rainwater over the stock certainly helped us. We've yet to send a container that didn't include a lot of items from Kath, but this deluge forced her to move her stock into temporary accommodation, and in doing so she found a lot of items for us.
Computers – a trip by Jonah to 'e-inclusion' (who refurbish redundant computers) led to a generous donation of excellent equipment so vitally needed in Zambia.
Hearing Aids – when Jonah departed from Heathrow, long-time supporters Carol Cain and her husband met us to wave him off.
Through her contacts, Carol had obtained a large number of hearing aids (complete with batteries) and moulds which had all been tested to ensure they worked.
It is increasingly expensive to send a container to Zambia (this year over £7,000!), but thankfully £5,000 of this cost was met by the efforts of Hazel and Ceinwen from their stalls in the Pontypool area.
