One door closes, another opens....

Today I sit at my keyboard feeling very sad; it's not the drizzle and the grey sky causing this, it's a meeting I had this week with some lovely people which has effected my normally bubbly, smily mood.

I was invited into Sparkwell All Saints Primary School to meet the staff and children. I was shown around a beautiful school with amazing resources in a picturesque setting on the edge of the moor.

The students were delightful, well-behaved, polite and very switched on to the outside world, asking intelligent and sensible questions about my experiences and the way of life in The Gambia.

The working atmosphere was calm, orderly and productive and the children were happily working away at their tasks.

The quality of work on display and the organisation of the school was impressive and I have to say I'm known for not being easily impressed!!

So, how come after such a wonderful visit I feel so dismal? This wonderful village school is closing at the end of term due to falling numbers.

What an immense pity and what a shame. It reminds me of the small corner shops being forced out of business by the huge supermarkets, because today that is what schools in the UK are, businesses.

What a pity that good educational practice and fantastic facilities are simply being chucked out. I would like to thank Acting Head Jill Watts and her team and the lovely pupils of Sparkwell Primary school for inviting me to see something amazing before I return to The Gambia in a couple of weeks time.

I am sorry that your school is closing and I do not think that it is right that it should be doing so. Thank you for the lovely ideas and generous donations you have given for the schools in The Gambia.

At least some good will come from this and I thank you all for that.

Barnaby Bear will be happy in his special bed in his mud hut and will provide a lot of joy and interest to the pupils at The Orchard School, Madiana, which will be his new school.

He will learn Mandinka and eat lots of bananas and he'll tell all the children there about the beautiful Devon school he was once in.

If the Gambian children saw Sparkwell Primary School, they would definitely not understand how it could possibly close, but then again, life in The Gambia is so much more simple than here.
Slowly my smile has returned as I shall be doing very soon.

African weather in Plymouth

Hi all!
Well I certainly brought the fabulous weather back with me from Africa, far more impressive than last year's constant rain! Have to admit even I am feeling a little bit hot! A few thank-you's go out to the following "stars" of Plymouth, the wonderful, kind, supportive people with big hearts who make me realise that life is not all that bad, despite what the news and the national papers want us all to believe!
Alison White and her lovely Brownies at St Gabriel's Church Hall, Catherine Hamlyn and her fellow coffee-morning contributors, the staff and pupils at Widey Court Primary School, Sarah Prestige and family and the staff at Keyham Barton R C School (good luck with the Ofsted!).
Think I had better start another sentence! A special mention to the lovely ladies of Onward House Women's Group and to Bernie Holder and the "Notre Dame Old Girls" for patiently listening to my accounts of life in The Gambia and asking great questions as well as digging into their pockets to help with our Banana Project! I also have to mention Traci Thorn of Plympton who has been helping me now for 6 months, carting car boot stuff to car boots and generally lifting me when my spirits are low, usually due to absolute fatigue!!
Currently writing this blog from the Central Library; free internet access, free newspapers to read, slightly smelly fellow-user to one side of me but mustn't complain; if I breathe out more than I breathe in I should manage to get to the end of this blog without passing out!!
Must be the unusual heat!! Just rented out Out of Africa on DVD so going to stroll home, put my feet up and watch that with a nice cup of tea. It is good to be back!
Heading back out to The Gambia at the end of the month so if you want to get in touch about visiting, volunteering or just generally supporting, please email me at dwdebs@aol.com Would love to hear from you Until next time Debbie Williams