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Linda van den Hende Africa Travels


On the 19th.May this year it was a great pleasure to welcome a Past President and fellow Rotarian from the Havering East Club, Linda van den Hinde to our club to give us


a talk about her travels to Africa in 2010. S


he was accompanied by a science teacher who organised and


co-ordinated the trip to East Africa for members of the sixth form of the Cooper‟s and Coburn School in Upminster. Linda is a governor of the school and she leapt at the opportunity to go on the trip when the offer was made. The pupils funded this trip themselves and raised the money through various ac- tivities and although Linda was expected to pitch in with all the tasks, she paid her own way.


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year or two earlier another group of students from the school had started


a project to provide buildings and accom- modation for a village school .


he purpose of this trip was to continue the work by painting and


decorating the building.


rom the evidence of the photographs that were shown the end result was


fantastic and although it was hard work, I‟m sure the experience and satisfaction will live forever in the minds of all those pupils and staff who took part.


he trip was not all hard work as there was an opportunity to do some


travelling and to experience the beautiful countryside and to see the wild life of Africa in its natural surroundings.


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s Linda said in her excellent talk this was an opportunity to look through


all her „Holiday Snaps‟ and re-live the experience. The photographs were stunning and, although the projection on the screen did not do them justice, those of us who near the computer were able to see them in their full glory. The accom- modation was basic (tents) and the washing facilities and the single toilet was pretty primitive but it did not seem to bother our hardy travellers from Upminster who also had to do their own cooking and washing up etc. This was done in teams and EVERYBODY had to do their bit although one or two of the boy‟s in Linda‟s group somehow seemed to go missing when the washing up had to be done!


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inda made us laugh when she explained


that there was a sign on a tree warning of the dan-


gers of crocodiles in the nearby river (it was pretty close) but somehow the staff tents were pitched furthest away from said river. It makes sense of course because the staff, being that much older than the pupils, would have been tougher than the pupils!


nyway nobody went missing so ob- viously the crocodiles had an


alternative source of food.


ll-in all it was a most informative and enjoyable talk and the staff and


students are to be applauded for their initiative and hard work needed to provide facilities which we in this country take for granted. We can all be collectively proud of these young people and the staff, who are the driving force of such projects, and long may their efforts and these trips continue.


Photos & Story by George Larkey


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