UK Scouts to Upgrade Crèche during Mossel Bay Holiday
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
A group of twenty one British Explorer Scouts (also known as Venture Scouts) from Rotherham in South Yorkshire will spend their holidays in Mossel Bay this coming April – and they plan to make improvements to a local crèche while they’re here.
The group – boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 18 – will be hosted by the local troop under the leadership of Pat Farnham, and have already raised the equivalent of R60,000 which they’ll spend on a new perimeter wall and new ablution facilities powered by solar water heating at Evelyn’s Crèche in the previously disadvantaged township of kwaNonqaba.
“We’ve been fundraising for about a year and a half through activities like packing bags at local supermarket checkouts, a sponsored bike ride, running cocoanut shies at local fairs and shows, table top sales, ‘selling’ bricks (people wrote their names on pieces of paper with bricks drawn on them), selling a quilt made by my wife – and one scout even did a sponsored parachute jump,” said the leader of the Rotherham troop, David Tingle.
He said that the group will be in South Africa – and Mossel Bay – from the 2nd to the 23rd of April, although he’ll arrive a week before the time to finalise arrangements and order building materials.
The group will stay in the thatched Municipal holiday cottages on the seaside at De Bakke.
“While we’re there (in South Africa), we’re hoping to develop an ongoing relationship with the local scouts and the ‘Meet the People Cares’ charitable trust so that we can arrange regular exchange visits for future work” said Mr. Tingle.
Mr. Farnham said that the Mossel Bay Scout Troop will take an active part in the tour.
“We’ll be working on the community projects together, and we’re planning to take the visitors to attractions like the Cango Caves and possibly the Gamkaberg, as well as Botlierskop and Knysna.”
He said that the local scouts were considering erecting a wooden jungle gym at Evelyn’s Crèche.
Mossel Bay Tourism’s chairman, Renè Bongers, said that he was looking forward to welcoming the visitors to Mossel Bay.
“This tour is a powerful example of tourism’s potential as a force for good – and the fact that it’s young people who are doing the work is hugely inspiring,” he said.
“We’re sure that the youngsters will enjoy their holiday enormously, and we’re confident that they’ll leave as ambassadors for the town.”
Mr. Farnham said that both troops were hoping for additional donations of building materials or cash to inject into the project. He can be contacted on 083 752 3231 or patrick@axxess.co.za
ENDS
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