1991 2007

Charitable Trust No 1106650
www.gafsip.org

As we near the end of 2006 we are still reeling from the activities of GAFSIP since the last update. A fantastic year for the trust or more importantly the people of The Gambia. Thanks to all our donors and helpers without whose support none of our activities would be possible.

His Excellency Lang Yabou formally launches The Ultimate Challenge wishing Sean Heighton, Simon Vann-Jones and Deputy Chief Fire Offcer Jerry O’Brien Bon-voyage

This ambitious initiative must, without doubt, be the Ultimate Challenge with Sean Heighton of Brislington Fire Station and a friend Simon Vann Jones driving down to The Gambia, leaving on Boxing day. They arrive there some 3 weeks later covering around 3500 miles - over half of those miles will be across the Sahara Desert in some very hostile conditions.

A week after their arrival, Jerry O’Brien, AFRS Deputy Chief Officer, will run cycle and canoe up the total length of The Gambia to Basse, visiting all Fire Stations, schools and the hospital and clinics that GAFSIP have worked with. We wish both teams well and seek your support in sponsoring them in their incredible challenge.

Progress updates will be available on our website
and that of  Avon Fire and Rescue Service

Fundraising activities.

St Michael’s Church of Winterbourne have nominated GAFSIP as their charity for the next three years.

The Cross Hands Fishing Club made a £500 donation from their harvest festival.

Mead Court, a sheltered home, has nominated GAFSIP as their Christmas charity.

Sandford Primary School in North Somerset is now twinned with Albion Lower Basic School in Banjul, The Gambia. Sandford Primary is supporting GAFSIP and is aiming to raise £2500 to send a container. To date, they have held a cake sale, a sponsored abseil and a harvest festival. GAFSIP will furnish the twinning school by the end of the year with the generous support of Cllr Astra Brand, vice chair of the fire authority and GAFSIP trustee. Louisa Munton, Headteacher of Sandford, presented a cheque to The High Commissioner for £1100. A fantastic achievement.

The Ridings High School International Baccalaureate Group

The Ridings high school International Baccalaureate group are raising funds and have formed a partnership with St Augustine’s Senior Secondary in Banjul . Their fund raising initiatives will include a sponsored sub-aqua dive at The Ridings aqua centre. They will be working with Garry Harris from Station 03 Yate

Marlwood High School in Thornbury have recently joined forces with GAFSIP.

YDC at Bedminster Fire Station have held a sponsored car wash and continue to help with GAFSIP’s activities. Thanks to Alan Middleton, his team and Ashfield Young Offenders.

A generous lady from Leicestershire , Mrs Edith Cobley, has raised money through her local church and collected manual sewing machines for use at the women’s centres in The Gambia.

British Red Cross continue to help and support the objectives of GAFSIP

Medical donations from Weston, Southmead and Frenchay hospitals as well as Fairford Surgery in Gloucestershire. These goods are normally reaching their use by dates. On this occasion they included ECG machines, blood pressure monitors and various other medical tools and equipment which in many cases are not readily available in The Gambia

Dave Hughes from Patchway has collected in excess of 20 tonnes of library books from all over the area. He collects these books in his own time at his own expense and assesses them for suitability for The Gambia. He received a certificate acknowledging his tremendous work for The Gambia.

The Avon Youth Association continues to support GAFSIP by refurbishing all donated computers and reloading free of charge in addition to supplying further IT equipment.

Wayne Coombes donates his car to The Gambia Fire and Ambulance Service

The thoughtful generosity of people continues to overwhelm, without the kindness of so many people, GAFSIP would simply not exist. As we close the 15th year of supporting The Gambia Fire and Ambulance Service we have managed to ship all donated goods.

On behalf of the people of The Gambia a warm and sincere thank you to all who have supported GAFSIP (see back page)

Our single most difficult job is finding the balance between receiving the donated items and raising the funds to send those vital goods to The Gambia.

Incredibly this year, we have been able to send 6 x 40’ containers. We have also sent the former CIU, 1 Water Tender, a Rescue Tender and a van from AFRS. From Red Cross, 3 ambulances crammed full of equipment, plus a water tender and Land rover from Ser Co and an Astra Car from Ff Coombes.

What Has Been Achieved?                      

New school furniture	Container unloading
	School donations have equipped 4 further schools and supplemented another eight.

This year sees the Gambia Fire and Ambulance Service employing 900 fire fighters - an increase of 100 this year. As we have said before, it means more than just a job, it provides an income for an extended family, self respect and a valued role in the community.
Two additional clinics are now operating and all stations have a small library facility and literacy programmes available.
Considerable medical equipment donations have been made to the hospital and clinics.

A fire-fighter’s wives association has been established and we are now able to support a further two women’s associations with manual sewing machines and literacy programmes.

Fire News

Ff Modou Ceesay, aged 22, suffered 30% burns, he continues to make slow but steady progress. Seeing the pain and suffering of this poor individual has certainly motivated GAFSIP to source and develop medical aid. It cannot be overemphasised the agony he had to suffer following injuries sustained when he was just doing his job.

GFAS opening a new clinic in Basse.

GFAS coped admirably this year with the flooding caused by the rains.

The Gambia hosted the African Union Summit with the Heads of State from across the continent being present. Our trainers this year spent time on fire safety in hotels and procedures for dealing with fires and evacuation. This aided the GFAS’s ability to provide a good fire and rescue service for this event.

Sadly this update reports on a serious fire in a small town called Kanifing where 16 young people lost their lives while attempting to control a fire before the arrival of the GFAS. The occupiers escaped but tragically all the 16 young men died in hospital with burns of up to 60%.

Cllr Terry Walker hands over the keys to a much needed rescue tender

The trustees would wish to thank all those people that have contributed in so many ways to the Trust this year .

If you would like to get involved or just want to find out more information then please contact  David or Claire Hutchings 01454 772529 or info@gafsip.org who will be more than happy to help.