Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link

Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

St Paul’s School, 9^th March 2013

Roger opened the meeting, thanking the Londoners for coming to join us (especially Yvonne and her team for supplying another great lunch) and Tom Collins for once again inviting us to hold the AGM at Little Ridge School. 

Present:  Roger Mitchell (chair), Derek Tomblin, Carole & Paul Cabban, Richard Homewood, Lynn & Richard White, Janet Jarvis, Peter Agar, Melanie Bray, Judy Irving, Dorcas Johnson, Hector Harding, Tunde Rahman, Cllr Nigel Sinden, Hastings Young,  Eileen & Bill Evans, Tom Collins, Christine Boulton-Lane, Gillian Rubi, Victoria Harrington, Jonathan Haddock, Cllr Jeremy Birch, Adèle & Edwin Rew, Nola McSweeney, Margaret Mitchell, Liz Mackay, Yvette John, Yvonne Johnson, Ray Keene, John Geater, Robin Gray (minutes).

1. 1.    Apologies for absence: Peter Penfold, Cllrs Eve Martin, Peter Pragnell; Sophie Butel,  Martin Jackson, Richard Lane, Diane Reed, Sue Furness, James Bacon, Jane Smith.
2. 2.    Minutes of the ordinary general meeting of 23^rd Jan. The minutes were accepted as a fair record. Matters arising:  The next general meeting takes place on 15^th May (not 8^th May – the Town Hall is not free that day).  §8: Robin had promised to talk to the Observer about a detailed article on current progress. He appealed for a few of the best photos taken by each of those who went on the February exchange. Please send by email to secretary.hslfl@gmail.com , with explanations.
3. 3.    Chairman’s Report.  See report attached (Annex A). Roger picked out a few highlights, and thanked Derek for ghosting the report.
4. 4.    Election of officers. There had been no new offers to stand for office, and since the current members of the executive committee were willing to continue for another year, Paul Cabban proposed that the meeting vote to re-elect the officers en bloc. Christine Boulton-Lane seconded. This was carried nem con. For the record, the officers are: chairman Roger Mitchell, vice-chairman Derek Tomblin, treasurer Ray Keene, women’s issues Lynn White, Christine Boulton-Lane (the latter is also chair of the Health Working party), membership secretary Bill Evans, secretary Robin Gray.
5. 5.    Membership renewal. Bill reminded everyone that the annual membership fee of £5 per head is due. Robin announced that there is now a facility for donating to the Link on our website. He hoped that supporters would use this to set up a small but regular donation, money they would not really miss, though he realised people may already be committed to giving in this way to other charities like St Michael’s Hospice.  A good number of people giving even £3 per month would provide some very useful income for the Link.
6. 6.    Correspondence. Robin had none to report.
7. 7.    Treasurer’s Report. Ray presented the balance sheet for the 2012 calendar year  (since this is how these things are reported to the Charity Commission), together with the independent examiner’s report, which confirms that the accounts are fully compliant.  Not counting any grants or other income for the Olympic team visit and the Exchange Visits, our income was £22,952.98 .  That figure included certain ‘restricted’ income, that is, monies which could only be used to fund the Health Centre project. In particular, the Link received a generous donation of £10,000 for the project, from a friend of the Link who had offered to match our own fundraising.   Our expenditure, including £13,000 on the Health Centre (but not including the Olympic Team visit or the Exchange Visits), was £23,512.72. Sending a container had been expensive, but it was packed full with furniture, medical equipment and supplies. An essential security wall around the Twin Towns Centre had cost £5,000. A donation from Hastings Runners had enabled us to break even on the Olympic Team’s visit. The Exchange trips are self-funding (a mix of British Council grants, monies raised by the schools, and personal self-funding by participants.)  We had £7,299.18 in the (unrestricted) cash account as at 31.12.2012 and £14,784.56 in the (restricted) Gold account.  The accounts were accepted nem con by the meeting. Roger thanked Ray for his fine work as our treasurer.
8. 8.    Schools Report inc. recent trip to SL.  Roger introduced his Education Links Report 2012(see Annex B). He noted that Castledown School already has a grant in place and will be hosting a teacher from SL in May. Other new exchanges are more likely to start in February 2014.  Roger briefly described this February’s visit. The group, led by Roger, included teachers representing Blacklands, Little Ridge, Christchurch, St Mary Star-of-the-Sea, St Paul’s and St Leonards Academy; Christine Boulton-Lane and Edwin Rew to evaluate progress on the Health Centre project; and Richard Lane who intended to firm up the link between Rotary Clubs, but ended up teaching. since several of the teachers fell ill.  Illness, and the fact that two national holidays were announced without warning in that week, rather limited the amount of classroom contact this time. Roger thanked Richard Homewood, who ferried the group’s vast luggage to the airport, and Yvonne, who again acted as the exchange’s ‘minder’, an absolutely essential role.                                                                                      There were several presentations.

(a) Christine Boulton-Lane showed photos of the Health Centre. The extension has doubled the size of the centre. Plugs and switches are in place. The cesspit is not finished, and rubbish is still being burnt in a pit; but the well is finished, although water has to be taken indoors in buckets. There is very little medication to dispense. Sallu Lansana, the manager, has given Christine a list of what is needed, though we must consider whether we should send money for supplies to be bought in SL, or source supplies here and send them. The waiting mothers receive very useful health education information while they wait. The intention is to extend the waiting room. Sallu urges that a perimeter wall be constructed as soon as possible, to stop Health Centre land being squatted on. (Christine is hoping that local building firms here in Hastings UK may be prevailed upon to sponsor the building of such a wall. ) Other improvements needed: a covered area between the two buildings; the septic tank to be completed and proper waste disposal to be organised – children still scavenge on rubbish tips.  Christine also visited the hospice and handed over a laptop to Melanie’s contact there. It is too much for us to take on supporting the hospice at the moment. It would be good if we could involve St Michael’s Hospice in a link.

Edwin Rew felt he had made some useful contacts in SL.  Like Christine, he found the trip a moving experience, and has vivid memories not only of sights, but of sounds, too, and smells – the acrid smoke from burning waste tips.

(b) Richard Homewood reported briefly on HBC’s waste management project.  It seems that the compost bins are not seen as a priority by the villagers. Of the 9 biogas generators, not all are working, but their value is clear, and Richard and his colleague Kevin continue to look for funding with which to extend the project.

(c) Gillian Rubi (St Mary Star-of-the-Sea/ Regmel link) explained that their two schools had started co-operating on healthy eating, and had now moved on to issues of ‘pupil voice’ – with a Unicef award as a ‘rights respecting school’ in view. They worked with the Regmel children on their ideas for children’s rights, to help them write a school’s charter. They played games to illustrate ideas of rights and responsibilities, but Gillian felt that even the staff had little understanding of what child-centred teaching could be. (Roger observed that there is a danger we are seen as a provider of resources. Some partnerships are really worthwhile,  but it is not always appreciated that the Link is meant to be a bridge for mutual understanding, not just a charitable organisation.)

Jonathan Haddock had compatibility problems with the school’s AV set-up, but his experiences at Jui Lower School, where Andrew Kamara is the dynamic head. He found he was to teach a class of 60 children from 3 ½ to 8 years old. He introduced them to the idea of a storyboard as a first step towards writing a story. He taught tag rugby, which went down very well,  and found the idea taken up by another teacher. Jonathan thanked Roger and Yvonne for making such a memorable experience possible.

Victoria Harrington of Blacklands (in its 3^rd year of exchanging) praised head-teacher Sylvanus Campbell’s commitment. Sylvanus had prepared detailed work schedules for herself and Richard Lane. REC Hastings is using all the resources that have been sent out, and developing its own ideas. In the context of the recycling project, Victoria taught the children how to make beads out of paper. She, too, worked on a school charter, but found it hard to get the children to think for themselves.

Sophie Butel of St Leonards Academy was unable to attend the AGM, but sent a Powerpoint presentation on the work she did with the Huntingdon pupils on ‘rights and responsibilities in our different societies’.

Roger told us that a party of 10 is coming in May, and he encouraged us all to join in the programme of activities.

1. 9.  Future events, fundraising:                                                                                     (a) LOAF Walk is on  4^th-6^th May (Canterbury- Ashford/ Ashford-Rye/ Westfield area), though most would be interested in doing a short or a moderate distance on Monday 6^th. Walkers can opt to raise funds for any international project, including their school’s SL work.                                                  (b) 30^th June – Music on a Summer’s Afternoon at Friary Gardens. 2.30-5pm.  Nice music, and strawberries for tea.                                                              (c) Friday July 12^th   Barbecue & folk music in St Helens Woods, 7.30.              (d) 18^th October (Hastings Week) – Sussex Brass Concert in aid of the Link. Details to be announced.

10. AOB: (a) Dorcas Johnson asked if we could not have an affiliated group membership. Roger promised to put that on the next agenda.                                     (b) Lynn expressed thanks on behalf of all the schools, to Roger for his inspiring leadership and to Margaret for her unfailing support.

(c) Roger told us that, as part of the Exchange teachers’ programme, the traditional football tournament will take place on 24^th May on the Darwell Campus – organisation again by Teresa Bennett.

11. Date of Next Meeting: Already decided: Wednesday 15^th May (not as previously announced).

The meeting closed at 4.10pm.

Annex A

Chairman’s Report 2012

The most significant event for our charity this year was the hosting of the Sierra Leone Olympics Team, Ola Sesay (ladies’ long jump) & Ibrahim Turay (men’s 400 meters) from 12^th to 14^th July, to train before going to the Olympic Village (see photo). They stayed, with their officials, as guests of the White Rock Hotel and had unlimited access to train at the William Parker Sports College. They attended a Civic Reception at the Town Hall, generously gave their time at charity events and presented prizes at the Primary Schools’ Sports Day. They were presented on stage at The Stade upon the arrival of the Olympic Torch for its overnight stay in Hastings.

Despite concerns, British Council funding was again made available for exchange visits by linked schools’ teachers. The UK teachers visited Sierra Leone in February and again returned full of enthusiasm. The Sierra Leone teachers came to the UK in June and experienced Morris Dancing, Crazy Golf with fish & chips, an Old Town Tour, a Civic Reception and the 7-a-side Linked Schools’ Football Tournament, as well as their daily teaching experiences. More details are given in the Schools’ Links Report.

After discussions with the District Medical Officer for WARDC and some senior medics, during the February visit to Sierra Leone, a decision was made to extend the Health Centre, rather than to employ two maternity nurses, in order to improve the appalling infant mortality rate. There are now sufficient trained nurses and their services are free. The catchment population has doubled since the original building was provided, so it is infrastructure that is needed. A very generous matched funding donation was received from a member and the structure of the building has now been completed. Further funding will be used to provide finishing works, refurbish the existing building and provide equipment, instruments, books, etc.

Further Commonwealth Local Government Forum funding was obtained for two more visits by the Hastings Borough Council team to develop their waste management initiatives on the Hastings pilot projects for WARDC. They constructed anaerobic digester units, which use animal and food waste to produce methane for cooking, thus saving on the use of wood and charcoal. Composting and recycling are also being introduced. Education on these matters is essential and this is being co-ordinated with the schools’ links.

A Thanksgiving Service to mark the 5^th Anniversary of the Twinning, held at Christ Church, Blacklands, was very well attended. The linked schools gave presentations and displays and the pilot of a film, comparing the aspirations of secondary school pupils in the linked schools, was shown.

It was decided to hold two Quiz evenings this year and these were the main fund raising events. Sponsorship on the LOAF walk and a LOAF music evening raised further funds. Further donations were received from churches and business. Wrist bands, badges, T-shirts and donated copies of an African cook book were sold.

The new Kankaylay school, funded by their link school, Christ Church, was officially opened and the security wall around the Twin Town Centre was completed. Crutches and wheelchairs were collected for the charity, Operation Rise to distribute in Sierra Leone, including Hastings. A further container was sent out with furniture, equipment and books for the linked schools and the Health Centre.

We had displays at The Unity Service and St Leonards Festival. Efforts were made to develop or establish links with Sussex Coast College, Brighton University, St Michael’s Hospice and Hastingues, France.

For the year ahead we look forward to the next Teachers’ Exchange Visits, making progress with Maternity and Neonatal care and developing Waste Management improvements in our namesake town.

Annex B

Education Links Report 2012

At the start of the year seven of our schools were continuing to develop partnerships with schools in Sierra Leone and work continued throughout the year both here and in the Hastings area in Sierra Leone to enhance the understanding of pupils in a range of global issues. I must congratulate teachers involved for their hard work and dedication to such worthwhile projects. Some of these partnerships have resulted in impressive initiatives which have made an impact on the whole school communities. Others have yet to capitalise so extensively on the possibilities inherent in such partnerships.

These seven partnerships are:

Blacklands CP School with REC Hastings Primary and Infant School

Little Ridge CP School with REC Jui Lower Primary School

St Leonards CE School with REC Rokel Primary School

Christ Church CE School with Kankalay Islamic School, Hastings

St Mary Star of the Sea RC School with Regmel Preparatory School, Hastings

St Paul’s CE School with REC Kossoh Town School

St Leonards Academy with Huntingdon Secondary School, Jui

In February a party of 9 teachers and teaching assistants from these schools, some grant funded and some self-funded, spent a week teaching at their partnership schools in Sierra Leone and in May three teachers from Sierra Leone returned here for a week. During that week school children contributed brilliantly to the Thanksgiving Service mentioned in the Chairman’ Report and the annual Soccer Tournament provided the usual excitement, hosted again by St Leonards Academy. A member of staff from Sussex Coast College travelled with the party in February exploring a link with the Government Technical Institute in Kissy. From there a member of staff joined the return party in May. A partnership is still being considered.

During the year we were delighted when the British Council announced a new grant scheme – “Connecting Classrooms”. £3000 is available for a partnership to exchange teachers involved in global curriculum projects during any particular year and five of the above were successful in their applications to fund exchanges during 2013. A further school raised sufficient funding from their own resources to send out a teacher in 2013.

In September a conference was held for staff from 6 more schools interested in forging partnerships in Sierra Leone. The intention is to take these forward in 2013.

These potential partnerships are:

Castledown CP School with St Mulumba RC Primary School, Hastings

Dudley Infant School with Edest Nursery and Infant School, Jui

Elphinstone CP School with Beckley Preparatory School, Allen Town

West St Leonards CP School with Glory Primary School, Hastings

Robertsbridge Community College with Kelly’s Technical Secondary School, Hastings

William Parker Sports College with Maynard Secondary School, Kossoh Town.

Exchanges of staff are planned from these schools in 2013.

All schools involved in the partnerships have representatives on our International Pupil Council which meets on a termly basis to share information and experience from the various schools and to consider such issues as Rights and Responsibilities in society both here and in Sierra Leone.

Roger Mitchell (Education Links Officer)

Sallu Lansana, the Health Centre manager in Hastings SL, has written to confirm that the latest shipment of equipment and supplies for the health centre has been carefully distributed. He writes:

I write on behalf of the staff and volunteers of the Hastings Community Health Centre to acknowledge that we were present when the container was opened on 20/12/2012. An inventory was taken on Wednesday 23^rd. (Sallu gives a full inventory.) The cartons were transferred to the Health Centre thereafter, staff meetings were held where we decided that we would distribute some of the items/materials to the other peripheral health units within the catchment area on 24/1/13.  (He lists these.) We promise these items/material will be used for their intended purpose in saving the lives of our patients. We have started using the items. We appreciate all the items sent and we hope that you will continue the kind support to this facility and the community at large. The extension is still going on and we are slowly coming to the end of the extension work. We appreciate it all. Meanwhile please extend our sincere gratitude to all our supporters, funders and well-wishers and your entire membership and the Hastings UK community for joining hands to improve health care in Hastings Sierra Leone. Once more, thank you all.

Yours faithfully

Sallu Lansana

Officer in charge, Hastings Community Health Centre SL

Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link

Minutes of the ordinary general meeting held on 23^rd January 2013

Present: John Styles, Bill & Eileen Evans, Nola McSweeney, Christine Boulton-Lane, Ray Keene, Derek Tomblin, Roger Mitchell (chair), Cllr Eve Martin, Melanie Bray, Ian Stewart, Lynn White, Richard Homewood, John Geater, Robin Gray (minutes)

1.    Apologies for absence: Cllrs Nigel Sinden, Jeremy Birch, Peter Pragnell; Peter Penfold, Paul & Carole Cabban,  Janet Jarvis, Diane Reed, Lewis McFee

2.    Minutes of meeting of 21^st November 2012 and matters arising: The minutes were accepted. Any matters arising were dealt with under today’s agenda items.

3.    Treasurer’s Report: Ray presented his report. He drew our attention to donations received amounting to £545, including £320 donated at Derek’s post-wedding party, and a further generous donation of £1000 from the Church of the Good Shepherd, Collier Row, for the Health Centre refurbishment. So far, £18k has been sent for the extension, and perhaps another £3k will be needed for building works

4.    Schools Report: Roger reported that a party of 13 will be going to Hastings SL on 16^th Feb for 10 days. 8 teachers will represent 6 schools, and Edwin Rew and Christine B-L will represent the Health working party. Yvonne will be the group’s essential chaperone, and the Trustees have agreed to offer to pay all her expenses. Roger will be visiting the six more schools that wish to forge links with six more of our schools. He will talk to them about the requirements for satisfactory exchange links. These partnerships hope to apply for grants to enable them to join the exchange programme in 2014. These grants are now renewable, so the exchange group in 2014 could be quite large.  The return date is still being discussed, possibly w/b 18.5 or w/b 8.6. Probably 8 or 9 people.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Roger had had some difficult meetings with parents of St Leonards Academy pupils who had raised money in order to be able to go to Hastings SL, but had been disappointed by the decision of ESCC’s Children’s Services that it was too dangerous for them to be allowed to go. One parent suggested an alternative trip to a school in Ghana, in a more structured environment, but Jenny Jones at the Academy has ruled that the money should be spent on helping Hastings SL.  In February, Roger will explore the issue with Huntingdon School, the Academy’s counterpart.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Roger congratulated Blacklands, which has been granted the British Council’s International Schools Award label for its global curriculum work. Lynn reported that Sylvanus confirms that his school has received all the items that Blacklands sent in the container. Yvette, Yvonne & Francis had clearly been very efficient in distributing the contents of the container, though some of the medical items are being held in safe storage until the health centre is ready. Lynn also reported that the International Pupils Council is still meeting, is still enthusiastic. It is writing to David Cameron about children’s rights, but Roger and Lynn agree that the group needs to be encouraged to find a concrete focus.                                                 Roger has heard nothing further from Clive Cook at South Coast College Hastings. He will ask Jeremy to try to re-establish contact.                                                                                                                                                                                                    Other youth links: Robin has been in touch with Jc McFee at Respond Academy. Lewis McFee is working on a film presentation of his trip to the Hastings area in the autumn. We hope that Lewis will be able to present it at our next meeting and talk about his ideas for developing our youth contacts.

5.    Health Working Party report: In February, Christine will be looking at the issues of an incinerator and a cesspool or (Derek’s preference) a septic tank at the Health Centre. There is no WHO funding for an incinerator. Derek wondered how much that might cost, and if we could fund it. Richard will ask M.Koroma to look into costs. It looks as if the main building works will be finished by the time of the February visit, so that work can then start on refurbishing the old rooms.  At the Twin Towns Centre, the security wall is finished and the gates are on.

6.    HBC waste-management project: Richard reported that Yvonne visited all 9 biogas burner sites during her last visit. Results are very mixed: Sam French’s double burner is functioning well, whereas there are technical problems at the orphanage site, Cecil’s is not working, and no-one is looking after the Health Centre biogas installation. The project has featured in the Chartered Inst of Waste Management journal, and Richard and his colleague Kevin are looking for further funding (perhaps from the CLGF). There is a suggestion that Warwick, Hastings & Hull get together on a combined project. Richard will pursue the idea of funding with Lucy Slack at the CLGF, now that elections in SL are over. He won’t send out the little money he has left, until he can be sure things are being properly supervised. At Kissy College, their installation is now under cover, biogas production is now part of the curriculum, and they are hoping to market the idea.  Derek suggested that since the Health Centre biogas installation is being vandalised, Christine should raise the question of putting at least a fence around it when she is there in February, though in the longer term a fence should be replaced by a wall.

7.    Hastingues: Ian reported that if Blacklands has not had any recent contact from the French school interested in a link, it is because the teacher involved is now on maternity leave. However, any Blacklands teacher or pupil who wants to write to the Hastingues school should get messages to Ian Stewart , who will carry them over when he goes to Hastingues on 10^th March – or they can of course use the Internet. Roger reported that Gillian Rubi of St Mary-Star-of-the-Sea is looking for a school link with Hastingues. Ian will liaise with her. Ian mentioned that Lisa, the deputy mayor, is collecting medical supplies together: these should be ready by the summer, though Ian has no idea about the quantities involved.

8.    Future events & fundraising:  (i) Quiz sheets & quiz night.  This year’s orange quiz sheet will have raised £580. There is a problem with the venue for the quiz night. The Civil Service Sports Club is being closed for refurbishment at the end of February.  Another possibility is St Paul’s School hall. After a debate on the advantages and disadvantages of the two venues, their facilities and available dates, it was decided to go for St Paul’s School hall on Friday March 1^st.  Nola hopes to get a sports item or two to auction. Please contact Nola (01424 751295) with offers of raffle prizes or requests for a table.  (Our approaches to major stores in the town have drawn a blank. Small retailers are much more generous.)            (ii) Valentine’s Twinning Anniversary Dinner Dance (Feb 9^th): Please support this if you can. Our SL friends are very faithful supporters of events we organise here in Hastings. There is a special price of £30 per ticket for anyone travelling up from Hastings. Lots of good food, catchy music to dance to.  If you are thinking of going, please contact Robin (436603) to see if it is possible to share transport.                                                                                           (iii) LOAF Walk 4^th to 6^th May: The pattern is as last year. For serious walkers, the event is a 100km walk from Canterbury to Hastings in 3 stages. Sat 4^th May Canterbury to Ashford; Sun 5^th May Ashford to Rye; Mon 6^th May Rye to Hastings (full day), or a 9 mile ‘circular walk’ or a 5 mile ‘family walk’ starting at Westfield on the Monday.  Walkers can walk for whatever good cause they like. Last year, about £1000 was raised for the Link itself. Registration forms are in the current Grapevine, or on the LOAF website: www.loafproject.co.uk .  Please mention it to anyone you know who likes walking, or who might want to raise money for us or for any other charity.                                                                                          (iv) Other   (a): Sierra Leone Thanksgiving Service.  Please note that this takes place on 8^th September this year – a date for our diaries.                                                                                                                                                                 (b)Musical events: -Roger has been taking advice from Ian Dobson about a musical fundraising event. Ian advises against our trying to emulate the well-established Beatles Day in support of MacMillan Nurses: we don’t command that level of support, which has been built up over the years. We would certainly lose money.   – Roger will negotiate with Ian’s group and the St Helen’s Wood administrators to find a date in July for a barbecue.  A working party was set up: Derek, Robin, Richard, Christine and Lynn.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        – A concert at St Matthew’s: Sussex Brass has agreed to perform for us at their charity rate of £80. Could be before 24^th May, or in the autumn. Roger to continue to look into dates.    Melanie urged us to make it clear what we are raising money for.   The public responds better if a fundraising event is clearly in aid of, say, new equipment for the Health Centre, or even specific items of equipment. Lynn asked about an article in the Observer. Robin promised to pursue that with the Observer – perhaps it would have more impact if we waited for photos to come back from those on the February exchange visit.

9.    AOB: (a) Robin asked for permission to buy a good-sized but portable screen, of the sort we have borrowed in the past from Showman AV, for use at the quiz nights, concerts and talks. Our grant from HBC for 2012-13 has been more generous than we realised, so we can afford it. Richard said he would see if HBC itself had a redundant screen we could have, but if that does not work out, Robin was given permission to go ahead with purchasing a screen.                                           (b) We were reminded that the ‘summer afternoon music event’ at the Parchment Trust is on Sunday 30^th June, 2.30 to 5.30.  Very pleasant music, afternoon tea in delightful surroundings. Money raised is split between the Parchment Trust and LOAF.                                                                                                             

10.  (a) Date of AGM: Tom Collins at Little Ridge School has kindly offered to let us hold the AGM there again. It was agreed it should take place on Sat 9^th March, with a buffet at 1pm, main business at 2pm, followed by presentations from teachers etc.   Bill & Robin to liaise over new membership cards. Robin to invite nominations for the Executive Committee.                                                                                                                                                                                                             (b) Date of next ordinary meeting: Wednesday 8^th May (to be confirmed) at 6.05 in Hastings Town Hall.

Here are the answers to the recent orange quiz sheet.  Thank you for your support – it raised £580 this year!  This year, 3 entries tied for 1st place, so the fairest thing to do is to share  the prize-money equally: £15 each.

With 74 points: Mr. Frank Eastham,  Mrs. Lynne Porter,  and  Mr & Mrs. S. Buchan           (4th was Paul Emerson of Hastings on 73 points )

1. Not a good game for you if you easily catch cold (8) draughts
2. Where penguins keep the family jewels? (4,5) pole vault
3. How Julius Caesar declared he wasn’t working (4) ludo
4. Scotsman’s two-wheeler gives vital support (9) jockstrap
5. Brief farewell on the pitch (3) bye
6. Chocolate bar that dates from 490BC (8) marathon
7. When a rugby player sees the light (10) conversion
8. Dashing Swedish computer peripheral (8) sprinter
9. How a dentist might end match? (4,6) draw stumps (pull stumps)

10. Best place to stand for quiet hatred (6) podium (p + odium)

11. Where to find an … advantageous place for runners (6,4)  inside lane  ( ‘an’ is inside ‘lane’)

12. Full address, age & sex may help, when manœuvring one’s mount. (8) dressage

13. Not a strenuous game, more a case of boozy shut-eye. (11) tiddlywinks

14. What a rot ten place for a card game! (5) tarot

15. You’re a bit of a klutz if you don’t land on a back outside edge. (4) lutz

16.  Beryl Reid often said they were jolly (6,6) hockey sticks

17. Old French game of dexterity may lead you to quibble in confusion (9) bilboquet  (anagramme of to quibble)

18. Gongs force Buddhist priest to eat right after past-their-sell-by-date chopped offal (4,6,6)        gold, silver, bronze  (force = g, right = r, priest = bonze , old + livers scrambled)

19. Spooner says Cambridge college servant will lay out best suit for this event (6,4) triple jump  (gyp’ll trump – Spoonerism)

2o. Talk about endless field event! (6) discus

21. …more talk about the end of the race (8) Mortlake

22.  Tailless mouse disturbed heavyweight (4) sumo

23. I’m supposed to fight over that piece of tat, am I? (6) tatami

24. Dickens saw this in the fireplace (7) cricket.

25. Board game played on a Stradivarius, in retrospect (5) darts

26. China (of poor quality) seems to be the place for trials (9) badminton

27. Careful – with this you may get (green?) ink on your tongue (7) niblick

28. A racquets game this isn’t only played at Hallowe’en (6) squash

29. A form of bridge played on boats? No, actually (7) pontoon

30. A sedentary game featured in the Rubin/Shapiro film in 2005 (10) murderball

31. 70 pounds in the playground (4-6) five-stones

32. Mangle a towel (anag.) – it’s what young toffs do (4,4,4) Eton wall game

33. UK gas-supplier and US spies combine to throw red and blue balls (6) boccia

34. Might Yvonne (the catering boss) fancy a fling? (7,3,5)   tossing the caber (anag)

35. Short trip north of the Border (9)  hopscotch

36. Down-and-out has no sleeve– but he manages to remain bouncy (11) trampoliner

37. Camilla, say, deprived of the French game (5) chess (duchess minus ‘du’)

38. Lose a point on missing one’s footing (8)  tumbling (stumbling minus ‘s’)

39. Does Ford’s city car deserve cut? What a blow! (6,4) karate chop

40. Discipline to be found in some Hastings SL schools? Just Jui.  (7)  jujitsu  (anag) (Jui is in the Hastings SL area)

41. A sport Fagin was good at? Just a touch! (7) fencing

42. At 7’ 9¹/₄” from the wall, it may give a strange echo. (4) oche (line in darts)

43. “Cry deep hurt”, muddled Americans might feel after this (3,5,3)  the Ryder Cup

44. Not what you’d want to lose, playing this (7) marbles

45.  Spectator maybe hugging John after exciting game (3,4) mah jong (Spectator = mag[azine])

46.  Leaves nothing inside where everything’s at stake (6) quoits

47.  Greek beef cow lit strangely. That’s way out (3,6,6) leg before wicket

48.  Nobody flogging tickets, and the finger stays down (3,3) not out (no tout)

49.  A magnificent great deal on the Sussex Downs (8,8) Glorious Goodwood

50.  Money first, then channel high-level, if fictional, action (9) quidditch

51.  Hardman Kemp dressed in delicate material? Not playing this!  (8)  lacrosse

52.  Get rid of thug to get the game started again (5,3) bully off

53.  Where the races can be expected to go with a fizz (5) Epsom

The rest are personalities (2- or 4-legged) or teams with a sporting connection:

54.  Cheddar, say, laced with ecstasy – there’s nothing better (6,4) George Best

55.  For what we are about to receive, after war games have started (1.1.5) W G Grace

56.  He bent over backwards, but the result was a flop (7) Fosbury

57.  Strong man who once might crush Lee (8) Hercules

58.  Sailor Billy trails French novelist (4,4) Zola Budd

59.  Did he ever run from Ibiza to Peking? (7) Zatopek

60.  Postie’s cat is canine (sort of) female multi-tasker (7,5) Jessica Ennis  (Jess + is canine scrambled)

61.  An organiser who may be a considerable sot when disorganised, (4,9,3)      Lord Sebastian Coe (anag)

62.  Stoke Mandeville medic who organised the first International Wheelchair Games (6,8) Ludwig Guttmann

63.  Yet this cat plays golf, not bowls (5,5) Tiger Woods

64.  He’d love to get mixed up in the S.E. Biennial yachting championship (3,7) Ben Ainslie (anag)

65.  He’d run far, but definitely not for a ham (2,5) Mo Farah (anag)

66.  Concocted brew most often seen in the Midlands (4.4)   West Brom (anag)

67.  The cartoon cat that drinks less? (8,6) Garfield Sobers

68.  Mahler arrangement set before worldwide travellers (6,13) Harlem Globetrotters

69.  He makes a good marinade (with a helping hand, perhaps) (5,8) Diego Maradona  (anag)

70.  How lead might be formed on court (3,4) Lew Hoad (anag)

71.  Might apparently feel his wallet in SW19 (3,4) Pat Cash

72.  Shuffle around Swindale (5,3) Denis Law (anag)
73.  Swipe an old penny loaf, perhaps (4,5) Nick Faldo
74.  Bespectacled potter trod insanely, insanely (6,6)        Dennis Taylor (anag)
75.  Aintree witnessed murder, back in the 1970s. (3,3)   Red Rum (murder backwards)

For the last few years, schoolchildren all over our town, with Helenswood students at the forefront, have been raising money to help mothers and babies in Hastings Sierra Leone. The infant mortality rate in SL is among the worst in the world, with babies dying from a whole range of illnesses, from anaemia and malaria to diarrhoea and dehydration.  The small health centre in the village struggles to provide maternity services for Hastings and the surrounding rural area. It has only one toilet, and not even a cold water supply. Now all that is about to change. Plans have been drawn up, permissions obtained, and Kainde Pearce has organised the villagers into an enthusiastic labour force. The foundations have been finished in record time, and the walls are going up fast. The Link is sending out funds to pay for materials as they are needed, and Sallu Lansana, the dynamic health centre manager, is confident that the extension will be ready in a few months, in spite of the fact that the centre is having to cope with the cholera epidemic that is sweeping Sierra Leone. Sallu and Mohamed Koroma (who is managing the project) express their heartfelt gratitude to all the people of Hastings & St Leonards, especially the children.

The Link will need more money in order to buy and ship out equipment and medication. Please contact Robin (secretary.hslfl@gmail.com) if you can help with a donation or with organising a fundraising event on our behalf.  We’re running another of our popular quiz nights

on Friday 28^thSeptember. For details, to book one of the few remaining tables, or to offer a raffle prize, contact Melanie on 01424 721265.

Even youngsters are getting involved

The footings go in

Our February quiz night is so popular that we’re putting on an extra one in September – on Friday 28th, in fact. Melanie Bray is kindly doing all the organising, and quiz maestro Nigel Jones is supplying the questions. The much needed funds raised will go to the current exciting project: extending and re-equipping the little health centre in Hastings SL. There are still just a few tables left. To snap one up, contact Melanie on 01424 721265. She’ll give you all the details.

Perhaps 2 years ago, Michael Foster had the brilliant idea that the members of the Sierra Leone Olympic Team might like to acclimatise themselves in Hastings UK. After long delays, it finally happened! Two fine SL athletes qualified – Ola Sesay (long jump -5th or 6th in the world) and Ibrahim Turay (200 metres) – and spent a week in Hastings, accompanied by a small team of officials and members of the press. The athletes trained at William Parker Sports College, had a packed programme of visits arranged by the Link and Hastings Borough Council, and were interviewed by BBC TV.  The Link is very grateful to the Headteacher and staff of William Parker Sports College, to the White Rock Hotel which generously provided the accommodation, and to local sponsors who made it all possible.  Here is a selection of pictures taken on the day the SL delegation was taken to the Olympic Village, followed by the delegation’s official press release.

Ibrahim training at WPSC

My heroine!

Ibrahim Turay at WPSC

Link members and SL delegates at the Olympic Village

With His Excellency Mr Edward Turay

Official Press Release: The Sierra Leone delegation has been officially welcomed in the Games Village of the London Olympics. The Team Welcome Ceremony was attended by the Sierra Leone High Commissioner to the United Kingdom H E Edward Mohamed Turay and the entire staff of the High Commission. Members of the Sierra Leone Hastings Link were also in attendance. The guests had the opportunity of visiting the Games Village and the apartment of Sierra Leone.
The ceremony itself was all about flag raising and acknowledgement of Sierra Leone’s presence in the 2012 Olympic Games. The Mayor of the Games Village commended the athletes for their hard training before the games. He assured the athletes and officials of a friendly atmosphere and called on them to compete fairly.
During the program there was an exchange of gifts in which the Chef de Mission of Sierra Leone, Unisa Deen Kargbo, presented a piece of typical home made wooden  craftsmanship inscribed, ‘Greetings from Sierra Leone’.
Sierra Leone’s two athletes, Ola Sesay the Female Long Jumper and Ibrahim Turay, the male 200M sprinter all expressed determination to lift the banner high when the competitions begin. Both athletes have had pre-games training in Hastings (East Sussex).
For details follow the Freetown Press.
From
Unisa Deen Kargbo

Our Secretary asked 13 local artists to allow us to use one of their watercolours, and the result was a stunning collection of pictures of 1066 Country in many different styles – Hastings, of course, and Bexhill, Battle, Bodiam, Rye, the Country Park, an old Sussex barn… Lots of familiar and not so familiar views. The schools sold quite a few of the calendars, sharing the profits with the Link, which is only fair. The Hastings Information Centre were absolutely brilliant and sold about 300. They sold well, and raised getting on for £2000. Many, many thanks to the generous artists, and to all those who sold the calendars.