eNewsletter

[eNewsletter for Groveley Precision Engineering]

Our latest news... no late deliveries for over three years... project management success... environmental improvements... and more.

Read it here.

Vintage entertainment and fashion show

[Online PR for Store & Secure self-storage]

Join us at our premises on June 9 for a Vintage Night of fun, music and fundraising for Lewis Manning… in collaboration with Real Vintage.

Enjoy a catwalk show of amazing vintage clothing, entertainment, Lindi hop dancers, stalls, bar and raffle.

Tickets are just £7.50 and can be purchased by contacting Lewis Manning fundraising on 01202 708470 or email events@lewis-manning.co.uk

Where are the men?

[Online PR for Uganda slum charity Child of Hope]

Our Income Generating Activities (IGA) scheme is indisputably a high-impact and sustainable method of helping a family lift themselves out of the worst extremes of poverty. But why is it that 95% of parents starting a business with us are mums? Why don’t the dads engage?

To be honest, it’s a bleak picture. Research from around the world shows that when men don't have a job or anything productive to do, it badly affects their view of their male identity. Most men then become hyper-masculine… getting involved with fighting, excessive drinking or promiscuous behaviour. Some men go the opposite way and adopt feminine roles and behaviour.

We see all of this in the Namatala slum. Most work available for men tends to be manual labour… and since the men are in poor health because of the poverty, they find it difficult to do manual work all day. So, typically, a man in Namatala will go to town early in the morning, do two or three hours of manual work and then stop at around 9am. By this time, he will most probably have earned around 2,000 shillings (45p) – enough money to buy alcohol and drink for the rest of the day. This then leads to the fighting, drunkenness and sex.

A new, depressing phenomenon that we have started to see in Namatala is that the men's wives are quite understandably giving up on their husbands. The wives then move out and set up home on their own. Some then take in young men who are quite happy to do nothing but rely on their 'sugar mummies’. It’s not great.

We have tried to work with dads and hold meetings at the school for training them in numeracy, literacy, business skills, etc. However, most men seem disinterested in their future… they have given up. All that seems to interest them is getting the 2,000 shillings in order to pay for their daily alcohol fix to deaden the pain.

As a Christian organisation, we have witnessed that men coming into a faith in God are more likely to escape this desperation, or if they come from slightly wealthier, supportive families (and there aren’t many of those in Namatala). So sadly, it’s a really difficult situation.

In the meantime we continue to regularly start mums in their own business, with full training and support – and the results are amazing. See some of our case studies for examples. If you could provide a parent with a business start-up grant for just £25, please click here.

Picture: One of our IGA dads. He has a small transport business using his bicycle… moving things like sacks of charcoal for his customers.

Get summer sports gear out the house

[Online PR for Store & Secure self-storage]

Ooh, summer’s coming and beach sports are getting going already. Well, great, but don’t let your sports gear become a right pain about the house… when you could store it with us at low-cost!

We know you’ll need it in a hurry – but that’s fine, because we’re open seven days a week and you can always get at your stuff when the sun shines.

We’ll find you a dry, clean room for your surfboards, shortboards, skimboards, minimals, paddle boards, kite boards, sailboards and your wetsuits. Totally secure… ready when you want them. Give us a call!

Surely it matters when slum kids die?

[Online PR for slum charity Child of Hope]

Yesterday Bex was standing by the school gate when two young boys turned up and stared at her through the bars. She asked them what they wanted and they said they’d come to see their brother. She asked who their brother was and they told me “Peter, in P3”.

“And why do you want to see Peter in P3?” she asked.
“Mummy told us to come and get him” the older one said.
“And why does mummy want Peter?” I asked, trying not to get impatient.
“Because our other brother is dead.”
His face started to tremble and tears toppled over on to his cheeks. The younger boy just stood their silently staring at the ground and shuffling his feet.

Bex takes up the story…

It’s amazing how quickly impatience can turn to heart-breaking sympathy. I took them down to our welfare office and asked Pius (one of our social workers) to go and find Peter in P3. I sat the two boys down whilst we waited. I found out that they were brothers aged 13 and 12 (although they looked very small for their age) and that brother number three (aged 11) had died that morning after being admitted to the local hospital for the last month. The older brother wept quietly whilst trying to answer my questions. The younger brother sat in awkward silence, not seeming to know what to do with himself.

Peter (aged 8 but looking much younger) arrived. He took one look at his older brothers and then walked to the corner of the office and stared at the wall. He put one hand on his hip and the other on his face with his back to us. After what seemed like an eternity (but was probably only 15 seconds) I called Peter over and he came and stood next to where I was seated. He kept his hands by his sides whilst silent tears dripped down his face. I figured he’d worked out what had happened but I needed to make sure.

“Peter, do you understand why your brothers are here?”
Peter nodded silently.
“Peter, I’m so sorry but your other brother, who has been in hospital for the last month, has died this morning.”
More silent nodding and tears.
“Mummy has sent your brothers to come and get you, so Uncle Pius is going to walk home with you all. Is that okay?”
Silent nodding.

So after a bit more reassurance and condolences they all shuffled off with Pius. I turned to look at Grace (our welfare manager), and she gave me a gloomy smile and said “That’s so sad.” And then turned around and got on with her work.

All the other staff I told this story today had the exact same reaction: a sad smile, a shrug of the shoulders … and then moved on. And that’s what’s it’s like here. When a child dies, there should be outrage, there should be a sense of injustice, there should be shock, there should be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Not quiet resignation. Not “Oh well”. The air should not be heavy with an unspoken “that’s how it is here”. Now, I don’t blame my staff for having that reaction. You see, they’ve lived surrounded by death their whole lives. I’ve lived here for ten years now and the disconnect between my reaction and those around me is still jarring.

I’m sitting at home and typing this and I can’t get those three boys’ faces out of my head. Surely in this day and age, Africa should expect her children to live, shouldn’t she? And if not, why not? Why should we be able to shrug our shoulders at the death of a child in a developing country? God help us to make this world a fairer place where every community can expect their children to reach adulthood.

Incidentally, the boys’ dad died last year and their mum’s been struggling ever since. She’s around age 30, on our IGA scheme and is bringing up 12 children on her own (eight are hers and four are for someone else). We’re stepping in to help with the burial costs.

Choirs boost - thanks Dauntsey!

[Online PR for African slum charity Child of Hope]

The CoH school choirs are about to get a big boost in the form of new musical instruments – thanks to kind staff and pupils at Dauntsey Academy Primary School. They held a Night at the Musicals event… which raised £327 for the choirs.

Staff and children at the Wiltshire school – in the form of their own choirs – produced an amazing event featuring 16 great songs from popular musicals… ranging from Oliver and Mama Mia to Whistle Down the Wind and Les Miserables! There were even guest performances from former pupils.

Huge thanks to Miss Scott and everyone else involved! More pics

Tradesmen: 24/7 drive-up self-storage for your business

[Photography and online PR for Store & Secure self-storage]

If you’re a tradesman that’s fed up with storing tools and stock in the garage, the bedroom and even the spare toilet, here’s your answer. In fact, if you’re that bad at storing your work stuff, this might even save your marriage!

We’ve got 120 external self-storage rooms – much loved by tradesmen for storing their stock, machinery and tools because they give ground-level, drive-up access any time, night or day… all year round.

It goes without saying that the area is totally secure and well covered with CCTV.

Look what else we lay on, free of charge:

• Access to forklift truck
• Goods-in service – deliveries can be taken on your behalf, saving you the need to be on site.
• Tea and coffee (during work hours).

Terms are easy-in, easy-out. You could even hire a post office box to give your business a more commercial feel. The rooms can be shelved out and all have easy vehicle access at ground level.

So, lots of reasons to get your work stuff out of the house and into self-storage. Don’t hang about… call us today and see if we’ve got a space available that’s just right for you. Better still, come and have a look… no appointment needed.

Ideal for tradesman, builders, market traders, site workers… even vehicle storage.

No monsters; and more business storage news

[eNewsletter for Store & Secure self-storage]

Here's the latest news and tips from your favourite Bournemouth self-storage facility! 

Click to read a web version of our newsletter. 

Mary is safe after arson attack

[Online PR for slum charity Child of Hope]

Huge thanks to everyone who sent support for the families whose slum homes were burned down in an arson attack recently. One of the huts was home to a Child of Hope pupil and we ended up moving the family into a different home as they had no money.

Mum Mary had been on our IGA (business start-up) programme but was one of the rare cases where it didn’t work for her. She and her family had remained very poor, with no savings for a disaster like this, and with considerable social problems. They have no other family to help them. There are six people staying together… Mum, grandma and four children. 

So, Child of Hope stepped in and arranged for them to move to a house which couldn’t be burnt (it has an iron sheet roof). It is still very meagre (local bricks held together with mud, with a mud floor inside), but at least they are safe there and it’s just one minute walk from the school. 

In addition to paying the first three months rent for this small rented property, we also bought some housekeeping essentials – jerry cans for carrying water, basins for bathing/washing, sigiri charcoal stove, saucepans, bed sheets for the one mattress they all share and some food to get them going.  

This family is very vulnerable and with no official welfare or social service system to support them, they would be lost without external help from COH. It is likely that in order to keep them safe, we may have to continue paying their rent (£8 per month). This is a rare exception – normally we would ensure the family can start to get onto their feet so that they can look after themselves. 

Nice to help

[Online PR for Store & Secure self-storage]

We love helping charities and are proud to announce our three main charities for 2016… Lewis Manning Hospice, The John Egging Trust and the Biggin Hill Romania Group.

For these awesome charities, we happily provide discounted self-storage and help where we can with fundraisers and events.

We’re also very happy to provide discounted storage to a handful of other charities… including Ashley’s Birthday Bank and AOK Ruksack appeal.

For all these great organisations, we provide our business support package that includes:

FLEXIBLE STORAGE: As much or little space as needed… read more

STORE ANYTHING: Stock, office equipment, surplus, tools, returns, archives…

FREE GOODS IN: We receive deliveries, without anyone having to be there from the organisation.

SECURITY: The safety of our customers’ stuff is our top priority and we take it very seriously. Read more…

Elim leaders

[Online PR for slum charity Child of Hope]

In May we will be exhibiting at the Elim Church Leaders’ Summit at Harrogate, and hope to build on some great relationships among the 500+ UK and Irish churches represented there.

Child of Hope is an Elim-approved organisation… which means that Elim churches around the UK and Ireland can freely support us.

If you attend an Elim church, would you like to introduce us to your pastor? Ask him to visit us at our stand at the summit and have a chat!

We can offer your church overseas mission opportunities, visiting speakers from Uganda and a long-term partnership with a charity that’s helping families break out of slum poverty. Leaders and church members could gain first-hand experience of the developing world… on a mission trip, they could engage with our school, outreaches in the slum and local churches.

In the meantime, if any of your church leaders would like to talk about it, ask them to phone Alan and Diane Aylett on 01202 873353… and they'll be at the conference.

Financial gain from decluttering your office

[Photography and online PR for Store & Secure self-storage]

It’s true… there are financial benefits from decluttering your workspace!

Who doesn’t like a clean, tidy workspace? It not only looks professional, but it can increase your profits… because a messy work area contributes to higher levels of stress and lower levels of productivity. Clearing it up can boost your energy levels and let you think more clearly. 

A stress-free work area helps you stay motivated, you to do your job more efficiently and it boosts creativity. And a more productive work environment allows you to concentrate on your work and thus increase your profits.

• You’ll be more efficient – because there will be less time spent searching for misplaced files, papers and other items, so more time devoted to making money.

• You could even lower your tax bill by keeping on top of receipts and paperwork and not missing money-saving deductions on your taxes.

• You can avoid duplicate purchases by knowing what supplies you already have on hand.

• You can get paid more promptly, because a streamlined system will help ensure you are invoicing all your clients and getting paid in a timely fashion. And keeping your documents and paperwork organised will save you time when preparing that tax return.

Big thanks to Freelance Factfile for much of this information… to read the full article, click here

Where does self-storage come in? It helps you clear space by letting you store things somewhere else, but still always available. Things like documents, tools, furniture and stock - stuff you don’t want to lose, but that doesn’t need accessing immediately. It’s very low-cost… e-mail us or telephone us today on (01202) 520 220 for details.

A much better chance of finding work

[Online PR for slum charity Child of Hope]

Finding a good job when they finish education will help break the cycle of poverty for many of our Ugandan slum schoolchildren… it’s one of our major aims, of course.

We recognise that not all our kids will make it to secondary school, so we’ve ramped up our vocational training sessions for some our our older, less academic pupils. For them the priority is less about education and more about gaining some skills that will help them find work, or even an apprenticeship when they leave primary school.

Our new course combines daily practical training with basic maths, English, computer, money and life skills. The vocational training includes carpentry, tailoring with our tailor Sarah and traditional crafts with staff member Vicky. The boys in the picture have been making money boxes with one of the dads, Peter Mayeku.

For more pictures, click here

Mariko excels to get to secondary school

[Online PR for Africa slum charity Child of Hope]

Mariko has just started secondary school and he’s feeling pretty chuffed with himself. He’s a young man who’s had a tough start in life and has struggled with being orphaned, being let down, negative peer pressure and a lot of struggles. But life is heading in the right direction and he’s determined to keep going.

Mariko is 14 years old. He can’t remember anything about his father. His mother moved to Namatala with him and his three siblings when he was just a few years old, so all he can remember is living in a slum. His mum struggled to send him to primary school but after the first year, she ran out of money and he had to stay at home whilst watching his mates go off to school every day.  Another local charity then offered to help pay for his primary school fees.  

During this time, his mother died. Child of Hope stepped in to help with accommodation and food, etc (as they were already sponsoring his sister) but requested the other charity to continue with his education fees. However they also ran out of money and so, although he’d managed to reach P7, he only completed the first term. Again he was stuck at home … and getting into bad company. He would spend every day hanging out with dubious friends and getting into trouble. 

Meanwhile, his sister (Daidai) was doing well under the care of Child of Hope. Of course, our welfare team couldn’t bear to see her brother struggling… so we decided to make an exception. We checked Mariko’s academic ability and realised that he needed to go back and repeat P6 before trying the final and important year of primary education. 

This time, Mariko worked hard... read more

Slum life: Now Joyce Mary can pay her bills

[Online PR for charity Child of Hope Uganda]

After two of her children died, Joyce Mary was left raising four grandchildren… and was struggling to make ends meet.

But since the start of her IGA business around 20 months ago, she can afford to pay for two children to attend local schools, while another attends Child of Hope school for free and the fourth child is still at home with her. She is extremely happy that she can look after them all, providing clothes for them, paying the rent, buying water and getting charcoal for fuel to cook.

Joyce Mary joined our Income Generating Activity (IGA) scheme when she needed to find a way to support them. Now she buys rice from the local factory and carries it home on her head to sell at her stall. It sounds hard, but it’s easier work than her previous job picking potatoes. She says her life today is free from stress and worry especially about the future.

You can read more about Joyce Mary’s story in a previous news post, because she is the lady who helped us rescue baby Peter after his mum’s death. That was just before we helped her start her business and found her a new home.

To read facts and figures of the social impact of our IGA work... click here. And if you’d like to help change a mum's life by giving a business start-up grant of £25, click here!