Our Programme Actions
Below are a list of the current charities and programme actions we are involved in.
Cementing Futures
Cementing Futures is an educational development charity with a mission to bring education, hope and dignity to children who have no means of currently accessing state provided education in deprived areas. They wish to provide general education, educational opportunities and assistance with the health needs of the children and their families who are living in poverty in Bangladesh.
In association with SI Bournemouth. We have currently raised £3563 for them.
Margaret presenting our cheque of £1518.00 to Bournemouth club for their Cementing Futures fund. Here’s to more to come!
The Porch Steppin’ Stone Centre
A local Oxford charity providing day long support for homeless and vulnerably housed people wanting to move forward in their lives. They run a cafe, laundry facilities, showers, free clothing store, library and much more.
Project SIerra
The current Quadrennial Project, Project SIerra: a Family and a Future, was launched at Convention in July 2007. The project supports women caring for children in extreme poverty and provides a caring, secure family home for children who are alone or at risk of abandonment. The project location is Sierra Leone, West Africa. Our project partner is Hope and Homes for Children.
The club is currently collecting bras to recycle to raise money for Project Sierra. We have currently raised (as of April 2011) £227
Gold – Guiding Overseas Linked with Development
http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/seniorsection/whatcanido/international/GOLD.html
The group sponsored a girl guide, Catherine Crick, to go to Armenia. When she returned she came to our November 2009 meeting and shared her experiences with us. Catherine explained that Girl Guide troops are established in over 100 countries, but many are in poorer or new countries and are in need of help to train leaders. For this reason, GOLD was established to enable Guides from this country to spend time in countries where leader training is needed.
The selection process included in this project is extremely rigourous. The reason for this became evident as we learned of the difficulties that had to be overcome when carrying out the training in Armenia. Living and travelling conditions were often difficult and one one occasional she and her companions were arrested near the Iranian border. Many of those to receive training needed a great deal of help, including raising self esteem, before more specific leader training could begin. It was also unfortunate that many of the woman who led Guide troops in Armenia were expected to give up when they were married, althought this problem was believed to be lessening.
In spite of the difficulties, the experience was enjoyed and appreciated by all who took part and the development of an international friendship was established.
We hope to sponsor another GOLD expedition in 2011/2012 and increase our links with Girl Guiding.
WaterAid
To mark the 75th Anniversary of Federation, all clubs were asked to contribute £75 to WaterAid. Jenny Vince held a Tea Party at her home where members gave donations. We collected £92.
Plan
http://plan-international.org/
An organisation who help a Ugandan family with their daughter’s, Christine, educational expenses. Christine has special needs. We have contributed £192 this year and have been in contact for the past 10 years. We have been receiving letters from Christine for the past 2 years. Now she is 18 years old, this commitment will now cease.