Cecily's Fund Spring Newsletter 2016

Spring Newsletter

2016

A Day At BISO Inside BISO community school - a supporter's perspective

2 | Cecily’s Fund

Welcome!

Social | To keep up to date with all our updates, be sure to follow Cecily’s Fund on social media - we are on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube at /cecilysfund and on Instagram at cecilys.fund

Welcome to our Spring Newsletter, and our major update in 2016. This year once again promises to be important for Cecily’s Fund, as our programmes in Zambia grow and develop in impact as the Connecting Communities: Learning For Life project has begun in earnest, with support from Comic Relief.

About and Contact | Cecily’s Fund is registered charity 1071660.

Our

work

makes

education possible for orphaned

The year has already been a productive one so far, with both our programme manager Liz and long-term supporter Colin Chesterman making trips to Zambia which you can read about in this issue. We also update you on fundraising efforts by Warwick African-Caribbean Society and our supporter Peter Clifton, as well as the latest instalment in our regular series of programme staff interviews.

Our last issue we were promoting our 2015 Christmas Challenge - having had time to process the income, we can now confirm that the final total raised was a terrific £26,127! Thank you once again for all of your wonderful and generous support for our work in Zambia.

In this issue 2016 Challenge Events

3

Visiting BISO, February 2016

4

Bright Futures in Zambia

5

Partner Interview: Frank

6

Exciting Cecily’s Day Developments

7

Peter’s 10K Raises Over £500

8

and vulnerable children in Zambia.

Email admin@cecilysfund.org Phone 01993 358 089 / 186 Post Ground Floor, 6 Church Green, Witney, Oxon, OX28 4AW

Spring Newsletter 2016 | 3

2016 Challenge Events Looking for a challenge this year? Cecily’s Fund has places available in two exciting events. The British 10K London Run is a familiar classic which our supporters have taken part in for many years, while Swim Serpentine is taking place for the first time this year. Alternatively, sponsoring Cecily’s cousin Anstice as she runs the Hackney Half Marathon is another great way to support our work in Zambia.

May 8

Hackney Half Marathon In May, Cecily’s cousin Anstice Oakeshott (pictured) will take on the Hackney Half Marathon once again. One of the newest half marathon events in the UK running calendar, the event takes in many of the area’s best sights, including multiple London 2012 Olympic venues.

Anstice raised over £650 completing the very first Hackney Half Marathon back in 2014. This time around. Anstice aims to complete the run in under two hours and, to celebrate her wedding later in the year, will run in a veil! Her sponsorship page is now open to donations: http://bit.ly/ansticehalf

OPEN

July 10

British 10K London Run The most storied challenge event in the history of Cecily’s Fund, the British 10K London Run is a thrilling race through the very core of the capital. Our supporters have been taking up this challenge for many years and have raised tens of thousands of pounds for our life-changing work in Zambia. Could it be your turn in 2016?

This year’s race takes place on July 10 and once again Cecily’s Fund has 18 guaranteed places available. Please contact us to register your interest in this iconic event!

OPEN

Sep 24

First-Ever Swim Serpentine This September, the organisers of the London Marathon are bringing a brandnew mass participation swimming event to the heart of the capital. Swim Serpentine is a one-mile swim in the iconic lake within scenic Hyde Park, the site of events during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Cecily’s Fund has two guaranteed places in this new and exciting event, which takes place on September 24. If you’re a keen swimmer looking for a new way to help us change lives in Zambia, be sure to get in touch as soon as possible to register your interest!

4 | Cecily’s Fund

Visiting BISO, February 2016 Colin Chesterman and his family

have

been

supporters of Cecily’s Fund for some time. As Colin was

visiting

Zambia

in

February, we invited him to see for himself the community

school

we

support in Lusaka. He took lots of photos and kindly wrote this report of his experiences at BISO.

I arrived at 0730 just as the first group of pupils were assembling in the playground before starting school. They said prayers, listened to the briefing from their teachers, sang the Zambian national anthem and then trooped into class singing "We are marching one by one".

I then had the chance to interview the headmaster Ba Kataso. Kataso is a warm, inspiring human being and a highly professional head. He talked about their holistic approach in helping the children to build skills to help them to stay healthy and become self-reliant. Kataso was also grateful for the help which Cecily's Fund and its supporters have given to the school since 2003.

During the day, I had the opportunity to sit in on some classes and saw that Kataso is supported by a team of motivated teachers who perform superbly with limited resources to deliver a solid basic education for the children in English, mathematics and core life skills.

School discipline is high and the kids obviously love their lessons and the opportunity for social interaction with their schoolmates and teachers in a secure, happy environment. I had bought some small gifts with me including pens, coloured pencils and wind-up torches. On my visit to art class I discovered that they had no coloured pencils to work with so was happy to see my gifts put into immediate use!

I then met with some former pupils who gave testimony to the great care and education they had received at Bwafwano and talked of their determination to be successful in life and to give back to the community through careers as doctors and teachers. The school is very proud to have seen their first pupil graduate through university this year.

Bwafwano translates as "helping one another" and that's exactly what this school is all about. It's a lifeline for children who have been dealt a tough hand in life and who really deserve a break in getting an education and loving pastoral care to help them develop as self-sufficient adults. If you're a donor to this project, be reassured that your money is being well spent and delivering an immediate and positive impact on the lives of vulnerable young Zambians.

Many thanks to Colin for his visit to BISO and for contributing this report. Please keep an eye on our social media and website in the coming weeks, where we will be featuring some of the photos and videos Colin took during his visit.

Spring Newsletter 2016 | 5

Bright Futures in Zambia

By Liz Gupta, Cecily’s Fund Programme Manager | Liz has been Programme Manager for Cecily’s Fund since the start of

I was fortunate enough to spend the first two weeks of March in Zambia

2014. She acts as the day-to-day

visiting both Lusaka and Kitwe. Monitoring trips like this one are always the

liaison between Cecily’s Fund and

most challenging and satisfying part of my role as Programme Manager

our partner organisations, and

for Cecily’s Fund and this trip was no exception. I was able to monitor in

undertakes regular monitoring trips

person two exciting new initiatives designed to support communities as

to Zambia.

they seek to raise funds for the payment of school fees.

First, I met with the ward committee based in Chamboli ward in Kitwe. This group of local people have joined together with parents and guardians to form saving groups based within their communities. Set up with the help of training funded through our Connecting Communities programme and provided by our partners Afya Mzuri, ‘GROW’ groups allow their members to save regularly. They are self-governing and use a democratic process to make decisions about lending to group members. Each group has 20 members and meets weekly: a cash box is used to store funds and is secured by three keys, each of which is held by a member. To join a group, each member has to contribute 50 kwacha (about £3) and 10% interest us charged on all loans. This simple scheme makes a real difference to the ease of saving in Chamboli ward. “I would be embarrassed to walk into a bank with 10 kwacha”, one member said to me, “but this scheme allows me to save small amounts each week.”

The second initiative I went to see is being run by our partners the

A locked cash box at a GROW savings group weekly meeting, March 2016.

Copperbelt Health Education Project (CHEP) in Kitwe’s Chimwemwe ward.

They are working with orphans and vulnerable children who have been supported through school but have not found full-time employment. After attending an entrepreneur course at a local vocational college, a group of young people (pictured above with Liz and partner staff) plan to set up a chicken farm. We’re looking forward to working with this inspiring and motivated group to help ensure they reach their goal, forge a successful business, and create a livelihood for themselves.

6 | Cecily’s Fund

Partner Interview: Frank In each issue of our newsletter, we include an interview with someone who is working to implement our programmes in Zambia.

This latest Q&A is with Frank Kanyambi, who recently became a part of our work. Frank’s position

is

unique:

as

Connecting

Communities Project Coordinator, he helps our partners CHEP and Afya Mzuri to run our new Comic Relief-supported work.

Warwick Students Recreate

While not a member of staff of any of our

’Take Me Out’ as Fundraiser |

partners, he is hosted in Kitwe by CHEP.

Many

thanks

to

the

African-

Caribbean Society (ACS) at the

CF: Can you describe your role within Connecting Communities?

University of Warwick, who ran

FK: My role is to support the work of partners CHEP and Afya Mzuri and ensure

their own version of ITV’s popular

that activities are implemented in a timely, cooperative manner and conform to

dating show Take Me Out and

the highest standards of quality. I also keep Cecily’s Fund Programme Manager

raised money for Cecily’s Fund on

with up to date project activities, progress, and any challenges.

February 12. So far their total stands at just under £600 and will

CF: What does your job involve on a day-to-day basis?

make a real difference to children

FK: On a day-to-day basis, I help partners by keeping them informed of project

in Zambia. Their fundraising page

activities to make sure that the project is on track with the annual project goals

is

and work plan. I do this by following up and checking on progress in the field

warwicktmo

and then reporting back.

CF: Which part of your work do you enjoy most?

FK: What I enjoy most is coordinating communication between local partners (CHEP and Afya Mzuri) and local committees to ensure that activities are delivered smoothly then reporting on the outcomes. I am also involved in monitoring the project and evaluating the work and outcomes which I feel is critical to its overall success. I do this by making sure that the project is on track and work with Liz Gupta by giving her regular updates on progress.

CF: What do you hope that Connecting Communities will achieve?

FK: Connecting Communities aims to give orphans further opportunities to succeed through the introduction of after-school ‘Sunshine Clubs’ that help with homework,

sports

and

recreation

activities.

The

clubs

also

provide

entrepreneurship training for those who have left school and are unemployed.

The project teaches children and their families financial literacy and how to save, staying healthy, avoiding HIV and the importance of education for all. We are also helping local people to have the knowledge and skills to be the voice of vulnerable children to ensure they have an education.

available

at

http://bit.ly/

Spring Newsletter 2016 | 7

Exciting Cecily’s Day Developments SAVE THE DATE

Cecily’s Day 2016 SEPTEMBER 3, STONESFIELD

SAVE THE DATE

Cecily’s Day 2017 SEPTEMBER 2, WITNEY

September 3 2016 will be celebrated as our last Cecily’s Day in its present location in Stonesfield Manor Garden. From the following Cecily's Day, on September 2 2017, we will move the celebrations to the green, green grass of Witney, where our office is.

On September 3rd 2016 we will celebrate our 19th Cecily’s Day, the day we meet to enjoy a picnic and to hear what Cecily's Fund has been doing over the previous twelve months.

Our long-standing supporters will remember that the first ever Cecily’s Day was

Concert Raises Over £1,100 |

held in September 1997, to celebrate Cecily’s vibrant life. The gathering took choir

place in the garden of Stableyard, Stonesfield where we had our family base at

raised their voices in support of

the time. When we moved house in 2007, Basil’s sister Charlotte Oakeshott and

Cecily’s Fund on Saturday March 12,

her husband Evelyn, generously offered us their garden next door at the manor

when their concert Beeston raised

house. This offered a continuity which has remained unbroken.

A

Nottinghamshire-based

over £1,100 for our work.

Cecily’s Day has consistently followed a pattern. Every year it takes place on the

The Carlton Male Voice Choir was

first Saturday of September at 1pm. It takes the form of a picnic. Some far-flung

established in 1908 and has a long

friends and family make it an annual meeting place! We consider the occasion a

history

charitable

form of AGM, when we thank you our supporters, explain what has evolved

causes. This latest concert was

during the previous year, and hope to enthuse you to pass the word further. This

organised to celebrate the 80th

in turn often leads to opportunities for fundraising and raising awareness.

of

supporting

anniversary

of

Nottingham

Soroptimists. The Club’s president Carol Williams is a long-time friend

We

feel the moment has come to change the pattern and to grasp other

opportunities

of our founders Alison and Basil

September 3 2016 will be celebrated as our last Cecily’s Day in Stonesfield.

Eastwood, who she first met in Iran.

We look forward to seeing you all as ever at 1pm, with picnics, rugs, children,

Cecily’s

Fund

grannies and grandpas, all Rabbit's friends and relations, and friendly dogs..... to

involved

for

efforts!

thanks their

everyone

tremendous

give Cecily's Fund a cheerful celebration towards the next stage!

Alison and Basil

8 | Cecily’s Fund

Peter’s 10K Raises Over £500 Peter Clifton has supported Cecily’s Fund in a number of ways, including with his series of successful “Poems in a Pub” events. He is also a veteran runner who has completed multiple marathons as well as a number of Oxford’s “Town and Gown” 10K events.

Recently, we have been promoting Peter’s latest challenge - walking the Minchinhampton 10K for Cecily’s Fund. Now in his 80th year, Peter completed the task on March 12 and was very happy with his time of 87 minutes.

We’re hugely grateful to Peter for his amazing fundraising efforts - he has so far raised just over £500 for our work - that’s enough to train six Peer Educators to deliver vital health information sessions in schools.

You can view Peter’s JustGiving page at: http://bit.ly/minch10k

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Please return the form to Cecily’s Fund, Ground Floor, 6 Church Green, Witney OX28 4AW Cecily’s Fund is a UK Registered Charity number 1071660 and a member of the Fundraising Standards Board Scheme: FSO137