In the Loop Winter 2023

Welcome to the Winter 2023 edition of our In the Loop members’ newsletter, where we focus on the work of new members who are joining us at Hunts Forum. Please take a while to learn about these organisations as they introduce themselves. Each one is a possible partner, collaborator and inspiration.

Our monthly News Forum newsletter now includes all the latest news from our members and the wider VCSE, as well as training, events and funding updates. If you haven’t already signed up to receive our News Forum newsletter then you can do so here. These are published on the third Thursday of the month. If you have something you would like to be included in either In the Loop or News Forum, please do get in touch.

We have 2 new members to tell you about this month, click the images below to read about them:

3C’s Colne Caring Community Lisa Kent Trust

3Cs – Colne Caring Community

3C’s Colne Caring Community is a Good Neighbourhood scheme set up in 2016 for the village and community of Colne and the surrounding area.

This is the brainchild of Cheryl Pomfret, whilst as a councillor in 2015, she knew finances were being stretched and wanted to replicate other good neighbourhood schemes and address adult care issues in her community.

Their first tea/coffee session was held in December 2016, with the attendees being the initial working party. They achieved a breakthrough in March 2017 when they had visitors. Over time, they adopted the name ‘friends’ to their visitors and welcomed all ages to their sessions. Their reputation continued to build, including people from their surrounding neighbourhoods, including Bluntisham, Earith, Needingworth and Somersham villages.

Over the years, 3C’s have become a more reliable resource – even COVID couldn’t stop them as they regularly kept in touch with villagers by phone and by delivering Easter Eggs and bunches of flowers. They have organised trips out – the Ladybird Boat was very popular, and minibus trips to the Swiss Gardens at Biggleswade and other local gardens. Thanks to a grant from a local group who were closing, they enjoyed a coach trip to Hunstanton for the day.

At their meetings, they have had talks from police, fire safety, and local enthusiasts with different hobbies, including a trial session of carpet bowls.

One of their crafty efforts (of which there are many) resulted in over 1300 poppies that were knitted, sewn, and crocheted by people in the surrounding area. These were then attached to garden netting to create a magnificent swag displayed each year around Remembrance time – a fantastic achievement for such a small village.

In the past year, their own Garden Gang – who look after the beds within our beautiful village church, St Helens, expanded further to take on responsibility for the Community Garden at the newly opened Jubilee Woodland in Colne. On this plot, they have grown fruit, veg, and herbs and a wonderful display of flowers in the beautiful planters on the plot.

Website: ColneCaringCommunity

Email: cheryl.pomfret@btinternet.com

Lisa Kent Trust

Lisa Kent Trust is a UK-based registered charity (no.1111569) that is dedicated to providing the children of The Gambia with the education they need for a brighter future. The Trust has been delivering quality education to children and young people in deprived communities of The Gambia since 2001.

The Trust now owns and manages two purpose-built schools in areas of educational demand and provides education to more than 600 children at any time.

They have developed and employed a team of 30 experienced Gambian teachers and support staff. They search out the best educational resources, ensuring they attend to the pupil’s medical needs.

Through the provision of education, they develop quality individuals who can join the marketplace to support themselves and their families and the development of The Gambia in the hope of eventually taking away the reliance on Overseas Aid.

Impact

600+ students being educated at any one time
30 quality trained staff- with ongoing structured Personal Development Plans
Providing employment opportunities for the local community: teachers, support staff, local tradespeople and suppliers
Proactive collaboration with Gambian industry to fill the ‘employment gap’ for well-educated and driven employees
Supporting the development and understanding of the local community.
Opportunities for volunteers and Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award participants.
Recycling of UK Educational Resources

Their education curriculum follows the MoBSE (Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education) approved guidelines and is delivered in small classroom groups. In contrast, Gambian state schools have been known to have up to 90 pupils in one class. The Trust provides all educational study materials and tools.

Students are monitored throughout their studies in higher education and, where appropriate, University and Apprenticeships.

The Trust runs a successful work experience scheme, allowing our students to work in the industry of choice. A job location scheme follows and is currently being expanded.

The Trust organises teacher training initiatives in which they invite & involve the community covering First Aid and sexual health workshops, from HIV – FGM and child abuse. Onsite solar power pumps the school water supply from their borehole.

The school garden demonstrates the growth of good food and agricultural reliance – the community uses the produce.

They encourage and support the communities to move away from using wood fires for cooking, with their related issues of injury to young children & smoke inhalation.

They have links to a number of UK schools, which provide resources such as school desks, chairs & books, which they recycle & for use in our Gambian State schools. Lisa Kent-Meridian Cycle School is named after the Meridian Primary School, Comberton, with whom they have a link and who raised funds to pay for one of their plots of land.

Lisa Kent Trust is a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Activity provider – where they involve groups of mainly UK volunteers working in our schools.

Website: Lisa Kent Trust

Email: liz@lisakenttrust.org