New monthly communications tips for small non-profits

@PhilGDowding
Great communications and PR tips for small charities. At no cost you can build your supporter base and donations. http://bit.ly/1a95MCj

Landmark start to 2014 for Child of Hope

She might be a tiny five-year-old, but young Faith represents a great milestone for the start of the year… Child of Hope's 200th pupil has just been sponsored in its slum school in Uganda.

Itesot by tribe, Faith is the youngest of seven children and lives in the Namatala slum with her parents. At school, she is very talkative, cooperative and she loves playing games like skipping and bouncing a ball. In class she is good at English and basic science.

That means 65% of Child of Hope's 310 school kids are now sponsored. It works with the poorest and most vulnerable children in the slum, which is in itself one of the poorest places on earth... so the impact on their lives is huge. More will be joining the school in February.

If you'd like to sponsor a child, you can find all the information here. You would receive letters, photos, drawings and school reports from your child, and you can write back if you wish. It’s very rewarding and costs just £15 per month.

Art inspired by Dorset countryside

Dorset artist Jan Dowding can't wait for longer, bright days... this 30x20" framed oil painting 'Field of Flowers' was inspired by bright yellow rapeseed fields during long, lazy walks in the Dorset countryside.

She said: "I love the contrast between strong yellow and the beautiful blue of the sky."

Oil painting 'Boulders' by Dorset artist Jan Dowding

Dorset artist Jan Dowding lives near the sea and frequently take walks (with me!) along the coast - especially if there’s the hint of a beautiful sunset.
   This seascape she painted is called ‘Boulders’ - 20”x16” oil painting on box canvas.
www.jedart.co.uk   @JanDowding

Slum kids steal the show at their school Christmas party

Well, the Child of Hope Christmas party was a huge success for all the children and the parents they invited, plus local community leaders and friends… thank you everyone who donated to make this Christmas very special for our pupils!

   Local VIPs from the Namatala slum district of eastern Uganda said lots of nice things about the school and its positive impact on the families and community. One local councillor said how very impressed he continues to be with our work and that he will continue to support us.

   But the main thing… the kids had a whale of a time! Lots of them put on special performances, there was good food and gifts for all, and loads of fun and giggles. Click here to see more pictures.
   Child of Hope is building a huge (by slum standards) school for the area's most vulnerable children, providing free education, food, clothing... plus parental support with life skills and business training with start-up grants.

Oil painting: 'Acers'

@JanDowding

One of my oil paintings on canvas… I named it ‘Acers’. 30x20” www.jedart.co.uk - pic.twitter.com/g2jyfrhjr9

Groveley Detection: Incus update

Updated photography for Groveley Detection's GDU-Incus ultrasonic/acoustic gas detectors, which instantly detect gas leaks in hazardous areas by 'hearing' the sound generated by escaping pressurised gas.

It is the only method of detection able to respond to a gas leak without the gas cloud needing to come into direct contact with the detector. The technology is impervious to wind, fog or gas dilution... and therefore very reliable in outdoor installations.

New Child of Hope video: Merry Christmas song

Children and staff at Child of Hope's slum-based school in Uganda sing their Christmas greeting... as always, it's a bit of fun. This one is short, under two minutes.

Hundreds of lives have been changed for the better again this year. The video was filmed in Uganda as a thankyou to supporters.

You can watch it on Child of Hope's video page, onYouTube (full screen) or on Vimeo (where you can download it). Enjoy!

Child of Hope school: Construction has started

It’s begun! This is the final stage of Child of Hope's primary school, which – on completion – will provide free education for around 600 children from the Namatala slum in eastern Uganda.

These workmen are carrying sand and bricks up the fire escape stairs and onto the concrete floor of the new floor (currently the roof), ready for the actual construction work to start next week. The tall wire structures will soon form the core of the concrete pillars to hold the new roof.

Small charities: communications and online PR help from Dowding2

Small charities and non-profits... want help with your communications and online PR?

If your charity needs greater supporter loyalty and donation income... or it has expanded to the point that you need help with PR and supporter communications to sustain your growth... or you realise that by telling your stories you will boost donations... we can help.

Oil painting: Crushed Berry Crackle

Jan Dowding ‏@JanDowding


Title: Crushed Berry Crackle – one of my #abstract oil paintings on box canvas, 24x18" - now sold
www.jedart.co.uk
pic.twitter.com/Yhmit1IWZz

Kirolite: Man of metal

When clients want something unique for their bespoke furniture, mirrors and staircases, Kirolite's metal finishes applied to wood can tick a lot of boxes! The result is a gorgeous antique metal look – great for features – and every finish is a one-off.
   Some buyers prefer a satin look, others like it with a high shine… or it could be anything in between. We can produce the look in aluminium, stainless steel, bronze and brass.
   How’s it done? To explain the process, who better than our lacquer shop team leader, Martin Bray...
   “We spray the finish in several coats, starting with a base coat of two parts metal filings to one part PU resin lacquer. After that, we sand it back using various grades before producing the final shine.”
   “The antique look is created by applying a patina to react with the metal before thoroughly cleaning and finishing with a coat of wax.”

Picture by Phil Dowding

Nativity play... Ugandan slum-style

Some of the older Child of Hope kids put on this slightly wacky version of the Christmas nativity. You'll need a cup of tea... it's around nine minutes long, but will give you a chuckle...

The video can also be seen on Youtube and Vimeo (from Vimeo you can download it for use in schools and churches, etc). Enjoy!

JED Art: Ceramic Christmas gifts at craft fayre tomorrow

Dorset artist Jan Dowding of JED Art has made ceramic Christmas gifts (like this tealight-holder house) for sale on her stand at the Christmas Craft Fayre tomorrow at the Lighthouse Family Church (Holton Heath, Dorset), 10am–2pm.
   Jan's ceramics will help raise funds for slum children in Uganda through Dorset-based charity Child of Hope.
   The event will feature local craft producers selling ceramics, Tupperware, hand-made cards, paintings, jewellery, books, gifts, preserves, cakes… and loads more.

New… rabbit husbandry for slum school in Uganda

If you’re a bit squeamish… please don’t read on! In a new attempt to help its pupils understand about looking after animals – and to provide meat for its school dinners – Child of Hope school in Mbale is trialling a project to breed rabbits.

   In Uganda as in many countries (and rural England, of course) eating rabbits is culturally acceptable and simply plain good sense. For the school in the slum, it will mean our pupils will have the rare treat of eating meat a few more times during the year. Poverty prevents that from happening much (if ever) at home.    But… trying to stop the kids from holding the poor rabbits by their ears… well, that was nigh impossible!
   Child of Hope is also based in Dorset, UK.