African mercy mission for Trowbridge churchgoers (From This Is Wiltshire)

African mercy mission for Trowbridge churchgoers

12:40pm Tuesday 15th December 2009

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A group of churchgoers from Trowbridge are preparing to travel to Uganda in the new year to take part in a charity project.

The seven people will be heading out to Uganda in February to spend two weeks doing development work in schools and hospitals around the town of Jinja, in the east of the country.

The group, who are from Bethesda Baptist Church in Trowbridge and St Katharine’s Church in Holt, are part of a larger team of 21 people from Ugandaid, a charity based in Altringham in Manchester.

They are appealing for cash donations to enable them to buy the materials and equipment they need while out there.

Nigel Harris, 51, of Cockhill in Trowbridge, said: “In 2004 my daughter Rachel went out there and she came back really enthused and inspired all of us to go.

“In 2006 two of went out there and last year three of us went and next year there will be seven of us going.”

The group include Angela and Danny Greatwood from St Katharine’s Church in Holt and Mr Harris, Dave Brewer, Dave Rose, Jac Rose and Joan Hunt from Bethesda Baptist Church in Trowbridge.

The two specific projects they will be working on are; community development in a village called Nakakumbi, where they will be helping train local people in basic skills, health and hygiene, working with local women to improve the village as well as rebuilding the home of an elderly widow with no family; and also classroom renovation in Naranbhi Junior School, in Jinja.

The team will also spend time in the Nile Vocational Training Institute, a vocational training centre with more than 1,200 students, and in Jinja Children’s Hospital, where they hope to be able to buy new mattresses for the wards.

The mattress and covers can be bought locally and cost about £30 each. The team aim to raise £900 to replace the mattresses in the two main wards of the hospital.

Mr Harris said: “We can’t take materials over with us so we need to take money and buy things in the local market, which obviously helps the local economy too.

“We have already raised about £1,600 by holding coffee mornings and selling cakes at church but would appreciate any other donations people can make.”

To donate to the project call Mr Harris on 01225 764349 or Angela Greatwood on 01225 782713 or visit www.ugandaid.com A coffee morning and lunch is being held at Holt Bowls Club, opposite the URC church next to the tennis courts, on January 9 from 10am to raise extra funds for the trip.

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