of the guys in new track suits and a couple on the first coach trip to the match - will try to get some better ones soon
BLUES TOGETHER
Monday, 20 September 2010
we have some photos
of the guys in new track suits and a couple on the first coach trip to the match - will try to get some better ones soon
Thursday, 16 September 2010
My Take on the trip by Lakey
The business of taking a bus overseas would seem quite a straightforward process, seeing as vehicles of all shapes and sizes are shipped every day all over the world. So when Garry Cook gave the green light to partner with the CSA (now Manchester City Supporters Club) to facilitate the acquisition and movement of a bus over to Sierra Leone, I thought that a couple of days would sort it. How wrong and naive can one person can be...?
You see, in my capacity as Ambassador for City in The Community, aside of handing out Ferrero Rocher to all and sundry, I had been passed the African baton and told to make this happen. And, while this was undoubtedly a privilege, I hadn’t taken into account the murky, rocky, pothole-ridden road that lay ahead.
My duties were basically as follows. Sourcing the bus (with Tony Griffith’s help) all the way from Antwerp; making ten phone calls and as many e-mails to iron out problems such as the fluctuating Euro; checking the bus could cope with the terrain of Freetown; confirming the chassis number; flying Howard Burr out to Belgium to confirm the bus was in order; insuring the bus from portside in Antwerp to Manchester; confirming import costs; finding a holding company with containers to fit; getting the bus’ signage sorted out; packing the bus up, and finally organising shipping from Manchester to Felixstowe and then on to West Africa. All this and we hadn’t even packed a pair of socks yet!
In spite of this, the sight of the bus with its eye-catching signage (courtesy of Dave at Barclay Signs in Reddish), as well as the boxes full of kit, spectacles, boots, trainers, books and even computers (all donated by fans) it soon became apparent that the trip would have a profound impact upon the lives of people in Freetown and Manchester alike. This primary motive was something that, in the chaos of the build up, had temporarily been forgotten.
Our good mate Neil Cole from Endemol felt that this venture was to be a special one. He recounted to me the sense of excitement he felt whilst filming the bus being loaded into the container at Uniexpress on Hyde Road, prior to making its long journey from Ardwick to Freetown.
As I’m sure you will have seen from my travelling partners’ accounts, the road trips in and around Sierra Leone epitomised the project as a whole; stuttering, slow, occasionally frustrating and, at times, seemingly impassable. However, we soon acclimatised to the way of life in Freetown, and became educated by our guides as to how to work to Salonean time (makes Jamaican time seem urgent). The time came to work out our team formation and plan of attack as our first meal in Freetown beckoned. The waiter, who by a twist of fate was called Toure, became our breakfast entertainment in a Manuel style. No order was ever the same as requested and, when it did come, was usually cold. However, when it came to giving out shirts, our waiter suddenly found an extra gear. That said, we wouldn’t have had Toure any other way; he was priceless.
Our fortunes, sadly, took a turn for the worst when we perused our itinerary for the week. Not only was the ship behind schedule, it had not properly docked in Conakry (the penultimate stop before Freetown). We’d done everything by the book from our end, having heeded the advice of African exporters on the necessity of arriving on time to take control of your cargo, as well as getting all of the paperwork in place . The date of arrival of the boat today at 2pm; check. The duty on the cargo in place through the advice from the Embassy; check. The insurance in negotiations; check. The registration money ready on departure of the vehicle from the docks; check. The hand-over of the bus and the delivery of the kit; check. And, last but not least, the very talented Neil with his camera at the ready; check. But, due to bad weather there was no boat, no container and most importantly, no bus. Our best laid plans were now up in the air.
Our first chance to meet our hosts - Armani and our very competent driver Ibrahim (or Brian to us) took place on the Friday morning. Two very happy young men appeared by the breakfast table, their eyes dancing with excitement, as the day that had been planned for years by Tony and Armani was almost at hand. We sat and chatted for a short time before jumping into the car to Freetown. First stop was the training ground of Manchester City Sierra Leone FC. It was the possible’s versus the probables on a ‘pitch’ that could only be described as like the surface of the moon. In spite of this, twenty-two lean, fit footballers played a game of attractive football. Following the final whistle, they sat with legs crossed as I complimented them on the impressive way they had conducted themselves, offering one or two pointers to improve their game. After a resounding chorus of City Till I Die, we braced ourselves for the trip back to our hotel through the vibrant streets of the capital.
Meanwhile, back on planet Conakry, It first came to our attention that the ship had been delayed at its penultimate stop due to bad weather, but as the week yawned into the weekend, it became apparent via our internet tracker that our ship’s passage had been severely hampered by the dredging of the port itself. This costing us, in total, four days.
Luckily for us, we had a team of guys who, with a lifetime of supporting Manchester City behind them, had the steely determination and a ‘glass half-full’ attitude necessary for us to push on. All of us had taken a turn to appear on Radio Freetown which covered the whole of West Africa, and the support for us and Manchester City was growing by the day. We talked about the association between supporters and the high regard in which the club holds our loyal and unswerving fan base, and this seemed to strike a chord with the Saloneans. We spoke of the bus, and its role for the team and the community. The locals could see that this was a marvellous gesture; wherever we travelled, people would shout, ‘We love Man City, we love Man City’.
We met with so many influential people who believed in what we were doing. From the country’s Sports Minister and his secretary, to Arne Johansen (the Swedish and Norwegian consul and his wife) whose home had once been owned by Simon Mann, infamous for his failed coup d’état in 2004. The people who made the most profound impression on us, however, were Armani and his family. They were all there to greet us on the Sunday before we went to a makeshift cinema to see the boys in Blue play Sunderland. Such genuine warmth and gratitude was humbling, and seeing a family with such little material possessions have so much pride and positivity gave us all a reality check. From here the Freetown Odeon beckoned, but this cinema was devoid of popcorn and trailers. Instead, we arrived to a hut on stilts with three 22- inch TV screens showing the Premiership in all of its glory, with City v Sunderland on screens 1 and 3 and Liverpool v West Brom sandwiched in between.
The passion of the Africans spilled over every five minutes, with various bets having been laid on scores and scorers. The atmosphere was electric as our fellow cinemagoers chatted about the possible champions-to-be, the failed England world cup exploits, and the African players on show. This was the highlight of their week, just like ours, and the buzz as Adebayor came on to the pitch for the last thirty minutes was fascinating to behold.
And so on to our final day. A very early start (not easy after a night of Manchester-style gale force winds and rain) was followed by a lot of tying of loose ends. The climax to our venture was the trip down to the port where our ship, the Claes Maesk, had docked and was ready (in Salonean time), to be offloaded. The captain and the port authorities duly confirmed that the container carrying our precious cargo was ready and waiting, but that there would still be a three-day wait until Armani and the team (and the wider City community) could truly appreciate its contents. A mixture of emotions spilled out amongst the Manchester contingent; whilst we were relieved that the bus had arrived safe and sound, we were frustrated that, through no fault of our own, the timing hadn’t been quite right. With the job all but completed, we headed off back to the hotel to pick up our bags and to embark on the long journey, via boat and BMI, back to Blighty.
I really hadn’t known what to expect from my trip to Sierra Leone. Yet, in spite of the abject poverty, I found a heartland of very resilient people harbouring a burning passion for football. The Saloneans are enriched by the beautiful game, and my life is richer for spending such a rewarding time with them.
You see, in my capacity as Ambassador for City in The Community, aside of handing out Ferrero Rocher to all and sundry, I had been passed the African baton and told to make this happen. And, while this was undoubtedly a privilege, I hadn’t taken into account the murky, rocky, pothole-ridden road that lay ahead.
My duties were basically as follows. Sourcing the bus (with Tony Griffith’s help) all the way from Antwerp; making ten phone calls and as many e-mails to iron out problems such as the fluctuating Euro; checking the bus could cope with the terrain of Freetown; confirming the chassis number; flying Howard Burr out to Belgium to confirm the bus was in order; insuring the bus from portside in Antwerp to Manchester; confirming import costs; finding a holding company with containers to fit; getting the bus’ signage sorted out; packing the bus up, and finally organising shipping from Manchester to Felixstowe and then on to West Africa. All this and we hadn’t even packed a pair of socks yet!
In spite of this, the sight of the bus with its eye-catching signage (courtesy of Dave at Barclay Signs in Reddish), as well as the boxes full of kit, spectacles, boots, trainers, books and even computers (all donated by fans) it soon became apparent that the trip would have a profound impact upon the lives of people in Freetown and Manchester alike. This primary motive was something that, in the chaos of the build up, had temporarily been forgotten.
Our good mate Neil Cole from Endemol felt that this venture was to be a special one. He recounted to me the sense of excitement he felt whilst filming the bus being loaded into the container at Uniexpress on Hyde Road, prior to making its long journey from Ardwick to Freetown.
As I’m sure you will have seen from my travelling partners’ accounts, the road trips in and around Sierra Leone epitomised the project as a whole; stuttering, slow, occasionally frustrating and, at times, seemingly impassable. However, we soon acclimatised to the way of life in Freetown, and became educated by our guides as to how to work to Salonean time (makes Jamaican time seem urgent). The time came to work out our team formation and plan of attack as our first meal in Freetown beckoned. The waiter, who by a twist of fate was called Toure, became our breakfast entertainment in a Manuel style. No order was ever the same as requested and, when it did come, was usually cold. However, when it came to giving out shirts, our waiter suddenly found an extra gear. That said, we wouldn’t have had Toure any other way; he was priceless.
Our fortunes, sadly, took a turn for the worst when we perused our itinerary for the week. Not only was the ship behind schedule, it had not properly docked in Conakry (the penultimate stop before Freetown). We’d done everything by the book from our end, having heeded the advice of African exporters on the necessity of arriving on time to take control of your cargo, as well as getting all of the paperwork in place . The date of arrival of the boat today at 2pm; check. The duty on the cargo in place through the advice from the Embassy; check. The insurance in negotiations; check. The registration money ready on departure of the vehicle from the docks; check. The hand-over of the bus and the delivery of the kit; check. And, last but not least, the very talented Neil with his camera at the ready; check. But, due to bad weather there was no boat, no container and most importantly, no bus. Our best laid plans were now up in the air.
Our first chance to meet our hosts - Armani and our very competent driver Ibrahim (or Brian to us) took place on the Friday morning. Two very happy young men appeared by the breakfast table, their eyes dancing with excitement, as the day that had been planned for years by Tony and Armani was almost at hand. We sat and chatted for a short time before jumping into the car to Freetown. First stop was the training ground of Manchester City Sierra Leone FC. It was the possible’s versus the probables on a ‘pitch’ that could only be described as like the surface of the moon. In spite of this, twenty-two lean, fit footballers played a game of attractive football. Following the final whistle, they sat with legs crossed as I complimented them on the impressive way they had conducted themselves, offering one or two pointers to improve their game. After a resounding chorus of City Till I Die, we braced ourselves for the trip back to our hotel through the vibrant streets of the capital.
Meanwhile, back on planet Conakry, It first came to our attention that the ship had been delayed at its penultimate stop due to bad weather, but as the week yawned into the weekend, it became apparent via our internet tracker that our ship’s passage had been severely hampered by the dredging of the port itself. This costing us, in total, four days.
Luckily for us, we had a team of guys who, with a lifetime of supporting Manchester City behind them, had the steely determination and a ‘glass half-full’ attitude necessary for us to push on. All of us had taken a turn to appear on Radio Freetown which covered the whole of West Africa, and the support for us and Manchester City was growing by the day. We talked about the association between supporters and the high regard in which the club holds our loyal and unswerving fan base, and this seemed to strike a chord with the Saloneans. We spoke of the bus, and its role for the team and the community. The locals could see that this was a marvellous gesture; wherever we travelled, people would shout, ‘We love Man City, we love Man City’.
We met with so many influential people who believed in what we were doing. From the country’s Sports Minister and his secretary, to Arne Johansen (the Swedish and Norwegian consul and his wife) whose home had once been owned by Simon Mann, infamous for his failed coup d’état in 2004. The people who made the most profound impression on us, however, were Armani and his family. They were all there to greet us on the Sunday before we went to a makeshift cinema to see the boys in Blue play Sunderland. Such genuine warmth and gratitude was humbling, and seeing a family with such little material possessions have so much pride and positivity gave us all a reality check. From here the Freetown Odeon beckoned, but this cinema was devoid of popcorn and trailers. Instead, we arrived to a hut on stilts with three 22- inch TV screens showing the Premiership in all of its glory, with City v Sunderland on screens 1 and 3 and Liverpool v West Brom sandwiched in between.
The passion of the Africans spilled over every five minutes, with various bets having been laid on scores and scorers. The atmosphere was electric as our fellow cinemagoers chatted about the possible champions-to-be, the failed England world cup exploits, and the African players on show. This was the highlight of their week, just like ours, and the buzz as Adebayor came on to the pitch for the last thirty minutes was fascinating to behold.
And so on to our final day. A very early start (not easy after a night of Manchester-style gale force winds and rain) was followed by a lot of tying of loose ends. The climax to our venture was the trip down to the port where our ship, the Claes Maesk, had docked and was ready (in Salonean time), to be offloaded. The captain and the port authorities duly confirmed that the container carrying our precious cargo was ready and waiting, but that there would still be a three-day wait until Armani and the team (and the wider City community) could truly appreciate its contents. A mixture of emotions spilled out amongst the Manchester contingent; whilst we were relieved that the bus had arrived safe and sound, we were frustrated that, through no fault of our own, the timing hadn’t been quite right. With the job all but completed, we headed off back to the hotel to pick up our bags and to embark on the long journey, via boat and BMI, back to Blighty.
I really hadn’t known what to expect from my trip to Sierra Leone. Yet, in spite of the abject poverty, I found a heartland of very resilient people harbouring a burning passion for football. The Saloneans are enriched by the beautiful game, and my life is richer for spending such a rewarding time with them.
Paul Lake
pic just after training - the pep talk
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
I Know he won't mind
Just got an e mail from Tony
Just had a conversation with a very excited Armani. He has just finished distributing all the kit etc. Said it was a difficult task but has now been done so successfully. He said that the whole of Freetown has gone Man City mad and everywhere the bus goes people gather round.
When we spoke he was driving to various venues to drum up business for the bus. Armani passed the phone to Ibrahim and he sounded very happy.
The team arrived at a match the other day in it the players got off in their tracksuits, but he has told them that they have to make their own way back after the game so as not to dirty the bus. Wonder how that would sit with our players???
The mirror is fitted and more photos on the way.
PS the team have played 2 won 2 since we left.
Armani and Ibrahim send their best wishes to all.
Tony
Just had a conversation with a very excited Armani. He has just finished distributing all the kit etc. Said it was a difficult task but has now been done so successfully. He said that the whole of Freetown has gone Man City mad and everywhere the bus goes people gather round.
When we spoke he was driving to various venues to drum up business for the bus. Armani passed the phone to Ibrahim and he sounded very happy.
The team arrived at a match the other day in it the players got off in their tracksuits, but he has told them that they have to make their own way back after the game so as not to dirty the bus. Wonder how that would sit with our players???
The mirror is fitted and more photos on the way.
PS the team have played 2 won 2 since we left.
Armani and Ibrahim send their best wishes to all.
Tony
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
sorry its been a couple of days
But I am knackered - what with the trip - trying to get ALL my pupils through and getting ready for the Spain move with boot sales - trailers - organising etc etc - I just do not have enough hours in a day - but here we go - my take on the whole thing
I do not believe in chance encounters - ergo - Tony and Armani were meant to meet
From selling watches and sunglasses on a beach do giant Oak trees grow or more apt Cotton trees
Blues amaze me - they are the salt of the Earth I am one always was always will be - but they still amaze me in fact I amaze me - I do not understand me or blues but just feel the connection
The trip - Lakey what a gent a better ambassador you could not have - Neil another gent and a great photographer wait till you see the CityTv stuff and the BBC - Tony yet another he started it and was like DAD out there a gem - Howard yet another his organisational skills did not go amiss - and of course Alex who can't help but make friends wherever he goes - then we have Armani and all the players and supporters what a crowd they make lovable people and so humbling .They say a team is only as good as its component parts - we had all the right parts
Manchester airport and meeting all together for the first time - that journey delayed for hours stopping in Malaga - the helicopter- not sleeping - the odd nightcap - Armani - Ibrahim who would become the bus driver - red tape - African time TIA - the schools - the glasses - helping Aberdeen - the radio broadcasts with the lads - the sights - the sounds - the smells -Annie the mad Prof - Rick Shearn - Ray Anderson all great people who helped our cause - the welcome in Armani's community and by his family - watching the game in the "cinema" - our MINDERS - the poverty - the politeness - the frustration at times - the Johanson's great people - watching both teams play and train - Lakeys pep talk - kids running up a hill - a certain toilet - lollies - the joy on peoples faces - City till I die everywhere - the staff at the hotel and the Sierra Lighthouse and Country Lodge - the "police" on the beach road - a child's story - feeling welcome - being ripped off - the gratitude - the love - the place - the guys - everything about this trip was right and felt so
I was humbled, grateful and thankful - I will go back someday - the generous Blues who made this all possible - the Club please lets not forget the gigantic role they played in all of this without YOUR club this would not have been possible - this was my 15 mins I just hope when you get yours its as good as mine was - I hate interviews and being filmed so you won't see too much of me when that comes out but this is not about me or any of the others on the trip this is about MCFC Sierra Leone and a man called Armani a rock a giant in his community a very very determined guy - in short I loved the place the people the country
Thanks to all who in any way no matter how small made this miracle happen - it was a honour to play a small part in a big thing
Thank you blues "you made my day "
I do not believe in chance encounters - ergo - Tony and Armani were meant to meet
From selling watches and sunglasses on a beach do giant Oak trees grow or more apt Cotton trees
Blues amaze me - they are the salt of the Earth I am one always was always will be - but they still amaze me in fact I amaze me - I do not understand me or blues but just feel the connection
The trip - Lakey what a gent a better ambassador you could not have - Neil another gent and a great photographer wait till you see the CityTv stuff and the BBC - Tony yet another he started it and was like DAD out there a gem - Howard yet another his organisational skills did not go amiss - and of course Alex who can't help but make friends wherever he goes - then we have Armani and all the players and supporters what a crowd they make lovable people and so humbling .They say a team is only as good as its component parts - we had all the right parts
Manchester airport and meeting all together for the first time - that journey delayed for hours stopping in Malaga - the helicopter- not sleeping - the odd nightcap - Armani - Ibrahim who would become the bus driver - red tape - African time TIA - the schools - the glasses - helping Aberdeen - the radio broadcasts with the lads - the sights - the sounds - the smells -Annie the mad Prof - Rick Shearn - Ray Anderson all great people who helped our cause - the welcome in Armani's community and by his family - watching the game in the "cinema" - our MINDERS - the poverty - the politeness - the frustration at times - the Johanson's great people - watching both teams play and train - Lakeys pep talk - kids running up a hill - a certain toilet - lollies - the joy on peoples faces - City till I die everywhere - the staff at the hotel and the Sierra Lighthouse and Country Lodge - the "police" on the beach road - a child's story - feeling welcome - being ripped off - the gratitude - the love - the place - the guys - everything about this trip was right and felt so
I was humbled, grateful and thankful - I will go back someday - the generous Blues who made this all possible - the Club please lets not forget the gigantic role they played in all of this without YOUR club this would not have been possible - this was my 15 mins I just hope when you get yours its as good as mine was - I hate interviews and being filmed so you won't see too much of me when that comes out but this is not about me or any of the others on the trip this is about MCFC Sierra Leone and a man called Armani a rock a giant in his community a very very determined guy - in short I loved the place the people the country
Thanks to all who in any way no matter how small made this miracle happen - it was a honour to play a small part in a big thing
Thank you blues "you made my day "
Pic the "boys" Neil was off getting his pulitzer I think - I can't find 1 photo with all six of us
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Thursday, 9 September 2010
TONY'S THOUGHTS
Well I have been waiting to write my feelings about this adventure until the bus and its contents were safely out of the docks and in the hands of the right people, that has just happened.
When I first met Armani in December 2003 I sensed that he was different to most people I had met there, but just how special he was I did not realise. Since our first meeting he has never ceased to amaze me with his drive and determination in the cause of City. I am glad I met him and was able to start the City ball rolling because one day I suspect someone would have realised his potential and, who knows there may have been a bus riding round Freetown with Accrington Stanley or Hamilton Academicals or similar written on it……….well it’s possible, ………….in theory.
Little did I think then that 6 ½ years down the line we would be in a position we are in now. The fact that MCFC has supported our efforts has made a massive difference and the fact that Paul Lake came on the trip with us has raised the profile of our efforts tremendously, and what an ambassador he was out there.
I have to admit feeling a little nervous at the start of our trip. I had been there 13 times before and was assuring the others that, whilst the trip would be hard work and somewhat chaotic, they would be safe out there and that they would be made most welcome. With the exception of the fact that the ship was 5 days late we could not have expected anything more on our visit. I never had any doubts or concerns about the ability of the guys on the trip to do anything other than to work hard to promote the good name of Man City, and that’s exactly what they did. I can tell you now that we left the country with a great impression of Man City and it’s supporters.
I do not propose to talk about my impressions of the country as things were not new to me and have been very well covered by others. What I would say is that the visit made me so proud to support my club, in fact I have always been proud to support the blues, but this project has taken my pride to new levels. Our football club is on the verge of greatness and I am so happy that, with the right people holding the rudder, it is taking its supporters with it on the adventures ahead.
Thanks to everyone on the trip but more importantly thanks to everyone who has made it possible from the smallest donation upwards after all we were only representing you out there. We need to keep the donations coming because there is still all lot of money to be paid for the bus.
I know you can do it blues.
Tony Griffiths
When I first met Armani in December 2003 I sensed that he was different to most people I had met there, but just how special he was I did not realise. Since our first meeting he has never ceased to amaze me with his drive and determination in the cause of City. I am glad I met him and was able to start the City ball rolling because one day I suspect someone would have realised his potential and, who knows there may have been a bus riding round Freetown with Accrington Stanley or Hamilton Academicals or similar written on it……….well it’s possible, ………….in theory.
Little did I think then that 6 ½ years down the line we would be in a position we are in now. The fact that MCFC has supported our efforts has made a massive difference and the fact that Paul Lake came on the trip with us has raised the profile of our efforts tremendously, and what an ambassador he was out there.
I have to admit feeling a little nervous at the start of our trip. I had been there 13 times before and was assuring the others that, whilst the trip would be hard work and somewhat chaotic, they would be safe out there and that they would be made most welcome. With the exception of the fact that the ship was 5 days late we could not have expected anything more on our visit. I never had any doubts or concerns about the ability of the guys on the trip to do anything other than to work hard to promote the good name of Man City, and that’s exactly what they did. I can tell you now that we left the country with a great impression of Man City and it’s supporters.
I do not propose to talk about my impressions of the country as things were not new to me and have been very well covered by others. What I would say is that the visit made me so proud to support my club, in fact I have always been proud to support the blues, but this project has taken my pride to new levels. Our football club is on the verge of greatness and I am so happy that, with the right people holding the rudder, it is taking its supporters with it on the adventures ahead.
Thanks to everyone on the trip but more importantly thanks to everyone who has made it possible from the smallest donation upwards after all we were only representing you out there. We need to keep the donations coming because there is still all lot of money to be paid for the bus.
I know you can do it blues.
Tony Griffiths
PIC - exhausted waiting at the speedboat dock on the way home
ALEX OVERVIEW
To give an overview of my week in Sierra Leone would take me forever as we did and saw so much. However I do have many instant memories so here goes:
The madness that was Lungi airport on our arrival, helicopter ride, stupid bureaucracy, families and young children breaking stones to earn a living, awful tin huts and shacks that so many lived in, seeing vultures circling in the city centre, getting my head around 6,200 Leons to £1-00, hearing that 9 children and 5 adults died when their house collapsed in the heavy rain shortly before we arrived, young children are sometimes swept away and drown in the huge gullies at the side of the roads that are there to take the heavy rain water away, seeing so many amputees as a result of the cruel war, the joy and friendliness of the people we met, so many blind people usually led by young children, good football played on impossible pitches that I wouldn't take a dog for a walk on, the joy and excitement on the children's faces when Uncle Phil dished out hundreds of lollies, seeing so many beggars, learning that so many rely on rice for breakfast, dinner and tea but on special occasions adding a little bit of fish and meat, seeing Armani's cramped living conditions, the fantastic and beautiful countryside, visiting Waterloo Market, the torrential rain, visiting a High School in Freetown where there was just 1 outside tap for the 300 students and medieval cooking facilities, visiting a Primary School up country where the plight of a 5 year old girl I held in my arms was explained to me, delivering thousands of donated spectacles that were so gratefully received especially at the optical department of a major hospital, eating at 2 offensively luxurious venues but essential to meet important contacts whilst knowing the utter squalor that is down in Freetown, enjoying the company of 5 good guys that were with me, meeting the nicest professor in the world from Canada (please marry me), enjoying a quiet drink at night with the chaps, the frustration of waiting for our shipment, meeting Armani's Mum.
I could go on but I think you now get the gist of my mainly happy memories of Sierra Leone in just one week. I intend to go there again sometime in hopefully not too distant future. My most abiding memory will always be so many wonderful and helpful people we met there.
My thoughts on the final day at Freetown was the utter relief and joy I felt at seeing the ship with our precious cargo. It more than made up for my earlier frustration of waiting for it's arrival.
SWEET SALONE, I LOVE YOU
Alex Channon
The madness that was Lungi airport on our arrival, helicopter ride, stupid bureaucracy, families and young children breaking stones to earn a living, awful tin huts and shacks that so many lived in, seeing vultures circling in the city centre, getting my head around 6,200 Leons to £1-00, hearing that 9 children and 5 adults died when their house collapsed in the heavy rain shortly before we arrived, young children are sometimes swept away and drown in the huge gullies at the side of the roads that are there to take the heavy rain water away, seeing so many amputees as a result of the cruel war, the joy and friendliness of the people we met, so many blind people usually led by young children, good football played on impossible pitches that I wouldn't take a dog for a walk on, the joy and excitement on the children's faces when Uncle Phil dished out hundreds of lollies, seeing so many beggars, learning that so many rely on rice for breakfast, dinner and tea but on special occasions adding a little bit of fish and meat, seeing Armani's cramped living conditions, the fantastic and beautiful countryside, visiting Waterloo Market, the torrential rain, visiting a High School in Freetown where there was just 1 outside tap for the 300 students and medieval cooking facilities, visiting a Primary School up country where the plight of a 5 year old girl I held in my arms was explained to me, delivering thousands of donated spectacles that were so gratefully received especially at the optical department of a major hospital, eating at 2 offensively luxurious venues but essential to meet important contacts whilst knowing the utter squalor that is down in Freetown, enjoying the company of 5 good guys that were with me, meeting the nicest professor in the world from Canada (please marry me), enjoying a quiet drink at night with the chaps, the frustration of waiting for our shipment, meeting Armani's Mum.
I could go on but I think you now get the gist of my mainly happy memories of Sierra Leone in just one week. I intend to go there again sometime in hopefully not too distant future. My most abiding memory will always be so many wonderful and helpful people we met there.
My thoughts on the final day at Freetown was the utter relief and joy I felt at seeing the ship with our precious cargo. It more than made up for my earlier frustration of waiting for it's arrival.
SWEET SALONE, I LOVE YOU
Alex Channon
pic at one of the schools - top 4 ?
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Donation
From Alison - I know this girl - great stuff Ali -and thanks for the support
Blues never cease to amaze me - I know Alison won't mind - but she will be embarrassed when I say she apologised because the donation was not more - yet the donation was very generous - love ya ta bits girl - follow Alison's example please any donation no matter how small helps
Thanks to all who have already given - but please keep it coming
Blues never cease to amaze me - I know Alison won't mind - but she will be embarrassed when I say she apologised because the donation was not more - yet the donation was very generous - love ya ta bits girl - follow Alison's example please any donation no matter how small helps
Thanks to all who have already given - but please keep it coming
I have some overviews of the week
By the lads and I will also post one - but for the next 24 hours lets just look at the bus and enjoy the fruition of your hard work - again thanks to one and all
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