7 October 2018
Present: Edwin Rew, Richard Lane, Lynn White, Martin Copland, Roger, Braidie Paton, Isabel Hodger, Mandy Hinxman, Christine Boulton-Lane, Nola McSweeney, Liz McKay, Derek Tomblin (chair), Robin Gray (minutes) Apologies for […]
14 September 2018
Our young people are global citizens, intensely interested in the wider world. Reps from the Link schools meet to plan their practical response to the big issues facing developing countries […]3 November 2018
We’re holding a dinner-dance at Bannatyne’s Hotel, Ridge West, St Leonards-on-Sea TN38 8EA, on Saturday November 3rd. It’s to raise funds for the big (very big!) new sanitation and water […]Grand Charity Ball, 3rd November 2018. Montgomerie Suite, Bannatynes Hotel, The Ridge West, Hastings.
Three years ago the Charity Ball was a huge success and we are holding another due to popular demand. Come along and have a great evening of dining and entertainment with the locally renowned band the Kytes and supporting entertainment.
The Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link is launching a fundraising campaign in support of the Schools Sanitation Project Fund. Funds will be used to improve water supplies and sanitation in its established twinned schools in Sierra Leone and help ensure children of all ages and sexes get a better chance of a good education.
Most of the schools suffer from poor or no water supply and poor sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Chairman of the Link, Richard Homewood, explained that “children are often exhausted by the time they get to school, having had to fetch and carry water before they arrive and during the day. Many older girls have to miss school on a regular basis due to the lack of poor hygiene and sanitation facilities. As a consequence their education suffers.”
Richard went on to emphasise “education is the key to helping these children and their families out of the cycle of poverty and anything we can do to improve their chances of a good education is really important”
The Link has had a survey of the schools carried out to identify what is needed in each school and we are using this to identify the priorities for action in each school.
The funds raised from this year’s Charity Ball will go toward the sanitation fund which currently has a target of £45,000 Further fundraising activities are being planned and we would be delighted if people wish to take part in them or become more involved in the activities of the Link.
Tickets £40 which includes a 3 course meal and glass of bubbly, can be obtained by calling 01424 853356
Don't miss out book your tickets early to avoid disappointment.
Dreary British Winter exchanged for Tropical Heat
A large group, led by Isabel Hodger, one of the Hastings Friendship Link’s Education Liaison Officers, left for our Twin Town in Sierra Leone on February 9th for 10 days.
Thirteen teacher members of the group will be using their half-term break to work in African partner schools sharing experiences to bring back to their classrooms in the UK.
Two additional members of the group, local solicitors Richard Lane and Jenna French, have sporting expertise to share, eagerly anticipated by host schools.
In addition to the work of the Friendship Link in schools, support for the Health Centre in Hastings Village has been a long-term concern and Christine Boulton-Lane is travelling with the group to continue her work on this aspect. Our friends in Sierra Leone regularly express the view that Health and Education are their top national priorities.
Schools and Academies represented in the exchange are All Saints’, The Baird, Chantry (Bexhill) Christ Church, Hollington and Guestling Bradshaw Primaries and St Leonards Secondary Academy.
Classroom projects will be based around themes suggested by the British Council as part of its financial and educational support for the exchange.
Links between schools here and in Hastings Sierra Leone have been developing since the Twinning of the two towns in 2007. Roger Mitchell, who has been involved from the beginning, said, “It has been a real privilege to witness the impact these exchanges continue to make on teachers both here and in Sierra Leone and how the education of their pupils is enhanced as a result”.
Fay Jagot, from Battle and Langton School, has recently joined the partnership and commented, “I have worked with children for 20 years, yet have never previously witnessed such enthusiasm from children to find out, learn and correspond across the miles”. Corinne Harris from Dudley Infant School who has been involved for several years said, “Our link with Edest School has been an empowering project for pupils and teachers alike. Children both in the UK and in Africa have benefited greatly by meeting visitors from their partner schools
As well as time to relax with partners out of school, there will be a whole day Education Conference held at the headquarters of the British Council in Freetown.
Some members of the group will find time to see for themselves the devastation caused by the recent mud-slides in the hills between Hastings and Freetown. They will meet some of the surviving but displaced families being helped by generous donations from folk associated with the Link.
The group have returned safely and enthused by their experience. We will give reports from the teachers on their experiences and from Christine and Richard re the Health Centre and other work over the next few weeks.
It is hoped that a return party can visit the UK towards the end of the Summer Term.
Find out more about the Friendship Link and the work it is doing in Hastings, Sierra Leone at our website:
www.Hastingshastings.org.uk/about/
Good evening to everyone who donated to our Sierra Leone Mudslide Appeal. All of the money you helped raise has been sent to the victims of the mudslide. The funds were initially used to provide food and water, bedding and shelter. Then funds were provided to individuals who had lost their homes, families and livelihoods to help them start to earn a living again. A builder was able to buy tools to start work and a seamstress able to buy a sewing machine and begin to make clothes to sell once more. Just two examples of the people you have helped us and our partner charity Build on Books help rebuild their lives. Thank you to you all. Our work in Hastings Sierra Leone will continue and you can continue to help if you wish by joining us or just keeping in touch through this page and donating through the BT my donate page.
Twinning Link recognised on tenth anniversary!
Visiting Teachers and Link Members were accompanied by the Mayor and the Leader of Hastings Council to unveil the new Twinning sign at the entrance to Hastings from Rye which now has Hastings, Sierra Leone added to it after ten years of fundraising, twinning activity and teacher exchanges. Link Members expressed their delight that the twinning link with Hastings, Sierra Leone and all of the humanitarian work that the funds raised have been able to achieve has at long last been recognised formally.
Link bids farewell to visiting Teachers
Last Friday saw local teachers bid farewell to their Sierra Leonean colleagues with a farewell gathering at St Leonards C of E school. Link Members joined the teachers and members of the Hastings Association in London travelled down to join the celebration of a successful week of sharing teaching practices and sightseeing visits to local attractions. Grateful thanks to the Diaspora from London for an amazing spread of traditional African food and to Highly Strung for entertaining us all with traditional music and getting us all up on the floor for some folk dancing. Our visiting teachers returned the compliment with an impromptu performance of a traditional African song.
Focus is now turning to planning the return teacher visit to Hastings, Sierra Leone next February and to progressing the Schools' Sanitation Project and refurbishment of the Twin Town Centre.
