Our tea and cake stall is now open for business

Our tea and cake stall is now set up. We are raising funds in aid of our twin scout group in Medina Sering Mass in The Gambia. Come and support us while you watch the raft race.

Delivery to The Gambia 2015

We have received some photos of the delivery of much needed mosquito nets and tents for our friends at Medina Sering Mass.  This was provided from our fundraising in 2014.

 

More photos are available on our website here.

 

This boy is the only one that could put the tent together and had to show them all.

Raft Race

It is that time of year again! Time to gather in the Library car park, construct a raft or two and them attempt to get them to the bridge and back, vaguely in one piece.

This is one of the most popular events for our Scouts who love the chance to take part and entertain those watching from the River bank. The winners this year finished in 12 minutes, our teams, well we had a laugh and gave value for money to those who had made the effort to come down and support us.

Barney and his bucket along with Dano, made sure the Scouts got wet (along with a few specially selected others - a Ranger, a Ranger/Guide Leader and maybe an explorer or two).

Cream teas were being served by others in the Group, in the School grounds next to the River and fortunately the weather held, so another great community event was enjoyed.

Well done all who took part today, you looked like you had fun.

Leaside Christmas tree festival 2013

This year our theme is 'Our Friends in The Gambia'. The Beavers have used lots of photos of the people in Medina that the Leaders met when they visited last year. The Cubs have used the flag of The Gambia as the basis for their decoration.

Cream Tea

Whilst the Scouts were busy messing around on (in) the river, other members of 3rd Ware were serving cream teas and cakes to members of the public. The afternoon was a great success with much money being raise for our twin Group in The Gambia.

 

Enjoying a peaceful moment after a noisy and exciting raft race

 

A fine spread - thank you for all the donations

Two Heron Cub Leaders drumming up business
for two different events!

We also took the opportunity to present HELPING with a cheque for £600, money that has been raised at other events through out the year. This will go to directly assist our twin group.

Chairman and treasurer of the Gambia Committee
present a cheque to Helping.

All in all it was a very successful event enjoyed by those running it and those attending it. The fine weather also helped!

Gambia Update - Helping Quiz

Helping Charity are holding a Quiz Night 27th April, at the Parish Hall Stanstead Abbotts. See their blog for more info.

Gambia Update

The Helping Charity are back from the Gambia with their news. Click here to read their latest updates. We have also received some new photos from our twinned Scout Group in Medina Sering Mass - Click here.

Gambia Update - message received

We received the following message from Alhagi, the Medina Sering Mass Scout Leader:

"We have received all the materials sent to us through the HELPING charity on Monday the 11th of March 2013. These materials were distributed to needy persons. The white polo t-shirts and the black shorts and skirts were given to the students in the class as none of these students were able to have a uniform. The rest of the clothes were given to the villagers. We have also seen the scarves and scout world flag and the cameras. There were also shoes which given out immediately as their were some of the students who came to school bare footed.

We once again thank everybody who is taking part in this wonderful gesture. We pray that the almighty will continue to guide and bless you throughout your life. You have indeed done it for us again.

I have taken some pictures during the distribution and the picture of the nursery students in new uniforms with smiles and this I will send to you anytime I go to city where I will have access."

Gambia - recent fundraising success

We have raised sufficient funds to pay for 1 solar panel, 1 x 2000W inverter and 1 x 200A battery.

Our future fund raising efforts will target an additional panel and 3 additional batteries to the Solar Power capability. On hearing the news Alhagi the Medina Sering Mass scout leader wrote.

"Dear 3rd Ware Scouts, I have just spoken to the new school principal, Mr. Yahya Mass and he is profoundly thanking all 3rd Ware Scouts for their support to the scouts and the school in general. Everybody here is grateful of your efforts in helping our scouts, the school and the village.

These panels will go a long way in helping the students to be able to have their studies in the school as many parents cannot afford candles daily for their children to read. At the same time this will help in typing and printing questions at the end of the academic year.

We thus pray for the success of each and every scout there and their families. We pray that the lord will repay all your good work. You have made great impacts in our lives and we honestly cannot express our thanks in words. All we have is prayers and this we will surely keep showering you with. Best wishes, Alhagi."

After reading this response many of us were very humbled when we think of the things that we worry about it really does put things into perspective. Our Group twinning enables us to learn about their lifestyle – needing candles to be able to study & their grateful thanks for what we are doing, which is so little.

This gives us great encouragement for the future support of our friends in Medina Sering Mass

Message from The Gambia

From Alhagi - Medina sering Mass Scout Leader

"Dear 3rd Ware Scouts, Once again we will continue to reaffirm our grattitude on every individual taking part in this noble gesture. I have learnt through your web that clothes are already been sent.

This I assure you will go a long way in reducing the burden of parents buying clothes for their families, as the only source of income is agriculture. People here have already harvested their peanuts but it is not a bumper harvest compared to previous years, yet this year's harvest is a bit better than last year.

I can strongly assure you that your gesture is indeed timely and be received by the villagers full of thanks. Surely they shall forever keep you in their prayers.

On the other hand, the money that you've sent for the uniforms was indeed able to buy 92 uniforms. Therefore you help us to acquire 92 brand new uniforms instead of the 60 that we demanded initially. This we were able to do because the whole sale price was lower than the unit price we've sent to you.

I'm happy to inform you that every body in the group is now with a new uniform. We thank you for making us all proud again. We pray that may your stars continue to shine higher and brighter. We are indeed very happy to have wonderful people like you. Thank you. Best wishes, Alhagi"

Gambia - Uniforms

We hear from the Gambia Scouts that the funds sent for uniforms made 92 uniforms and not the 60 as previously budgeted for. This means that all Scouts in our twinned Scout Group have uniforms. Photos of the uniforms can be seen in an earlier blog.

Fund raising efforts for 2013 will be focused on raising money to buy solar panels, batteries and an inverter.

Gambia fundraising and uniforms

From fund raising efforts during 2012,  3rd Ware has recently donated £460 for the purchase of material and tailoring to make 65 uniforms and scarves for our twinned Scout group in Medina Sering Mass. Photos below..

Scouting Magazine

A very brief mention, of the trip to The Gambia, features in Scouting Magazine this month.

Support HELPING

HELPING is the charity through whom we are twinned with our Gambian Scout Group. Money from this event will not go to out particular twin, but will assist the charity in their general work in The Gambia, which may include our partner group and their village. It should be a good afternoon, leaders who have been to events in the past have always spoken highly of them.

Safely back from The Gambia

All 12 members of the 3rd Ware Gambia expedition are now safely back in Ware.


Members from each section have had a life changing experience, and are most definitely planning to return.


On our final day, we went out on a Landrover excursion, which allowed us to see more of the country.  This confirmed to us that the country is indeed very poor, but in spite of this the people are always very cheerful.

A common method of transport

A moving farewell

Pictures from Medina Sering Mass

Wow!


What an amazing experience.  We've been made thoroughly welcome in Medina Sering Mass for the last 5 days, and joined in with their annual Easter Scout camp!We were able to incorporate all our programme ideas into their programme, and have a two way cultural exchange.

Below are a selection of photos, which will give you a flavour of what we have seen and done, but please come along to one of the fund raising meetings that we'll be arranging in the near future for a full presentation, and details of how we think the relationship can move forwards.

Braiding hair ready to set off

Monkeys sunbathing at the hotel

And being affectionate

Setting off in the landrover

Waiting for the ferry

Locals waiting for the ferry

Getting on the ferry at Banjul

Socialising

Meeting the Imam

Sunset over the Mosque

Marking out the Scouting Gruel

Playing noughts and crosses

Teaching first aid - How to treat bleeding

How to tie a sling

Watching the Scouts marching

One of the village children

The Scouts marching

Traditional wrestling

The camp kitchen

Flag break

Presenting badges

Painting T-shirts

Painting T-shirts

Eating lunch

Safari to the women's garden

Watering the crops

Traditional Mandinka disguise

Playing cricket with a water bottle

Gambia campfire

Showing off the new T-shirts

Woggle making (and Batman)

Village children

Village children

Village children

Many of the children are in desperate need of new clothes

Mother and baby

Omar

Breakfast before leaving the village

End of camp