A Helping Hand

16th January 2019

Danes Hill has recently been liaising with Derek Tennant, to ensure our old uniform goes to a good home. Derek works in aviation and is able to take unwanted school uniform and supplies to children in schools and orphanages around the world. Derek has recently returned from the first of three trips to St Nicholas’ School, Ghana. He delivered unwanted uniform from Alleycatz, our uniform supplier (as we have recently updated our sports kit), and old stock from our second hand FODH shop.

Visiting St Nicholas’ School for the first time was an enlightening and overwhelming experience for Derek. To say that the staff and students were grateful for these donations is an understatement. The children were all joyful, healthy, and happy because of the work they are doing to support their community.

Each of the 150 pupils who attend the school is given breakfast, a fruit snack, lunch, clothes, and an education. It is evident therefore that the organisers and teachers are striving to give the children in their community the best start in life, and break the cycle of poverty from which they have come. The children spoke of their dreams for the future, of being lawyers and architects, much like many Danes Hill students do. The hope in these children, despite any obstacles they might come across, is both inspiring and humbling.

This reinforces the value of the donations we send to St Nicholas’. They will be used not only within the school but also sent into the community and further afield to help as many as possible. Danes Hill will continue to work with Derek to help St Nicholas’ School, and other schools and communities like it.

But it is not only uniform that they need; The weather in Africa this time of year is extremely hot and humid, so the children in this community would be grateful for donations of summer footwear. Furthermore, amongst St Nicholas’ resources is a small library. We will continue to help children around the world live better lives and receive a better education, whilst preventing our old possessions from going to waste.