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January Update Update

New Committee Member

This is just a quick update to let everyone know that the Dnipro Appeal is still very active and that the Committee Members are all working hard behind the scenes for the children in Dnipropetrovsk. Last October we finally managed to fill the vacant treasurers position so I’d like to introduce new committee member Gavin Willshaw to everyone.

Edinburgh based Gavin has already spent some time in Ukraine, having spent 6 months teaching English in the seaside city of Odessa. He also has a little bit of charity experience as he is currently doing some part-time work for a Dundee based charity. Gavin has settled right into the Dnipro Appeal Committee and has been very pro-active in the projects we have been undertaking over the last few months.

Charity Dinner

This year the committee decided to hold the Annual Charity Dinner at Easter Road. The previous years event at the Sheraton Hotel had proven to be a huge success but the substantial outlay for the hire of the hall and catering costs were a huge worry given the current financial climate. When Scott Lindsay and Hibernian Football Club offered the free use of Easter Road as a venue it was viewed as a very generous offer that the committee could not turn down.

The November date was set and ex-Scotland Goalkeeper Alan Rough was booked for the after-dinner speaking duties. The evening was hosted by entertainer Bill Barclay and we were also treated to the singing talents of, the now professional, Ian Hunter.

The evening was well attended and the entertainment, the company and the good food all seemed to go down very well, and as a result around £5,000 was added to the Dnipro Appeal funds.

Christmas Trip

January once again saw members of the committee brave sub-zero temperatures to make the arduous task of getting to Dnipropetrovsk to ensure that the children received Christmas gifts, chocolate selection boxes and, on this occasion, also enjoyed a Christmas trip to the pantomime.

Dnipro Appeal Baby Centre

The Baby Centre continues to provide help and assistance to struggling mothers and this assistance was certainly greatly appreciated during the very cold temperatures of December and January. The shipment of baby clothes collected in Scotland made it out to Dnipropetrovsk in plenty of time and allowed us to provide warm clothing for the babies during the cold winter months. Unfortunately rising costs in Ukraine are also affecting the amount of additional items that we can purchase, such as nappies and baby food, but the generosity of everyone in Scotland during the summer has meant that the mothers are well stocked with good quality clothing.

One thing that always lights up the eye’s of the mothers is the little suede boots that are donated to the Dnipro Appeal by Dundee based Gill Madden. Unfortunately Gill is struggling to source sufficient numbers of the old suede jackets that she uses to make the baby boots. The Dnipro Appeal would therefore be very grateful if everyone could make a quick phone call round grannies, granddads, aunties and uncles to see if they’ve an old suede jacket sitting at the back of the wardrobe that they could donate. If they could only see how much these “luxury” items mean to the mothers I’m sure that they would happily sacrifice an old worn out coat.



Yours,
Steven Carr,
Dnipro Appeal Committee.
www.dniprokids.com

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