Category: Archive

Strathaven Friends of HHI’s third Cafe Bridge Day in aid of Health Help International was again a great success, drawing bridge players from around Scotland and including a party of fourteen from London. Not just raising funds for Health Help International it spreads word about the Charity far and wide and hopefully gains a few more supporters.

The first Cafe Bridge Day was held about ten years ago but they are gaining in popularity among the bridge fraternity and this year the enthusiasts have a choice of forty towns and villages throughout the UK in which to take part in one.

The players move around between selected cafes and restaurants and play a few hands in each enjoying their local produce and having lunch in one of them half way round.

This year Strathaven offered seven venues all with easy walking distance between them and with fine weather on the day the visitors to the town had the opportunity of calling in at some of the other bakers and interesting gift shops which Strathaven has to offer.

SFHHI receives many complimentary comments from the bridge players about the way in which its event is organised and also about Strathaven itself.

The raffle was again very successful adding £374 to the amount raised from the bridge.

Following the bridge a musical evening was presented for the bridge players who wished to attend and for the local supporters of SFHHI. Strathaven is fortunate in having lots of talented musicians and singers in the community and this year’s programme included five solo performers and musical groups who provided a wide ranging musical treat to an appreciative audience.

The Avendale Church, whose members support HHI in many ways, generously allowed SFHHI the use of the church both as a base for the Cafe Bridge and for the concert.

The monies raised from the two events came to an excellent total of £2,200. 

The Newport-based Charity Health Help International (HHI) is 25 in November 2024.  From small beginnings, it has raised almost £4 million pounds to support the most deprived people in Zambia and India through medical work, disability and special needs, self-sufficiency and empowerment. 

Its dedicated team of volunteers not only give their time, energy, expertise and experience freely, but also pay for the UK running costs so that every penny that we are given by our supporters is sent aboad.

Currently its work is in two parts of the world – Monze in the Southern Province of Zambia, and near Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) in the state of Kerala in India as well as in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. 

To celebrate its 25^th anniversary the Charity set itself a target of raising £25,000 to build a new dormitory for disabled students at the Choongo school in Zambia. There were 60 residential students but only 48 beds in the existing dormitory. The appeal for funds has met with a great response from its supporters in Wales and England and thanks to the efforts of SFHHI and generous donations from the committee of the Round Strathaven 50 (see the report on the 2024 RS50 in the news section) more than half of the £25,000 which has now been successfully raised has been generated in Strathaven. 

The new dormitory has now been built and was opened on 23^rd October 2024 – see details of this in the report of the visit of Jute Williams and Kath Russell to Zambia.

This will be held in the Strathaven Golf Clubhouse on Tuesday afternoon 12^th November. As last year’s this is a fun bridge (not board bridge) event and caters for bridge players who find our Cafe Bridge Days too challenging. It starts with a light lunch served at 12.00 noon  and will finish about 4.00 pm. To reserve tickets (£15 per person) or take a table of four please phone or text Iain on 07771720388. All monies raised are on behalf of HHI. Raffle prizes will be gratefully accepted.

This year’s RS50,  held on Sunday 18^th August, was the 22^nd since the first one in 2002

Another record number of cyclists had entered and though there was the usual fairly large number who did not turn up over 700 took part in the two events, the 50 and the 15 miles routes. There was an encouraging increase in the number of families and young cyclists taking part in the 15 miles event.

The weather was good and almost everyone completed their routes. There were as usual many favourable comments from the cyclists about the organisation of the event and especially about the usual excellent refreshments at the various locations.

A record sum of £17,000 was raised and once again Health Help International received a very generous donation of £6000 which is being used to provide the beds and bedding in the new Choongo dormitory. This brings the total amount received by HHI from the RS50 events since 2002 to just over £66,000 

Alex and Maria of the BPCF Company which produced the excellent films of HHIs work in India and Zambia attended the event and filmed throughout the day from both ground level and using their drone for aerial footage. We look forward to seeing the completed film of the 2024 RS50 towards the end of the year. 

Cafe Bridge Days are relatively new in the UK but such events have been enjoyed on the Continent for a number of years. At these, players move between a number of prearranged venues and play several hands of bridge in each.

SFHHI hosted its first Cafe Bridge Day in June 2023. Following its success the second Strathaven Cafe Bridge Day was held on Wednesday 12th June this year. Supported by the members of the Strathaven and Hamilton Bridge Clubs and with visitors from around the country including a party from London a total of 56 players took part. Avondale Church again generously allowed us the use of its premises for registration and for the control of the event throughout the day. From there the players headed out to the first of their playing venues. Six local cafes and restaurants had kindly allowed us the used of their facilities and after the first session the players moved around the town playing a number of hands in each of them, enjoying lunch half way round and returning to the church for prize-giving. The winning pair were Moyra Forrest and Kathy Whaler from Edinburgh. 

A very successful musical evening in the church provided an enjoyable finish to the day.  Contributing to this were a number of Strathaven’s talented musicians and singers including Heather Ewart and Ailesh McInnes, the Strathaven Strummers, Eric and Jackie Rice and Ellen Templeton. They provided an excellent and wide ranging musical treat much appreciated by the forty strong audience. 

As a result of the day’s activities the excellent total of £2000 was raised on behalf of Health Help International helping it towards its target of raising £25,000 this year to build a new dormitory for disabled children at Choongo School in Zambia.

Jute Williams returned to Zambia for her annual visit in September. She was accompanied this time by the BPFC film crew who were to carry a full programme of filming the various projects and individuals supported by HHI as they had already done earlier in the year in India when they accompanied HHI’s Chair Edmund Plummer on his annual visit to that country. The results of their efforts can be viewed by using the links below.

There were many moving and memorableitems inthe reports which Jute sent back each day during her annual visit to Zambia. Have a look at these in Jute’s Travelogue under the News item in the HHI website.

The films from India can also be viewed on the Films section of the website

Cafe Bridge Days are relatively new in the UK but such events have been enjoyed on the Continent for a number of years. At these, players move between a number of prearranged venues and play several hands of bridge in each.

SFHHI hosted its first Cafe Bridge Day on Wednesday 7^th June. Six local cafes and restaurants participated each hosting one or two tables and providing lunches half way through the proceedings. Play took place also in Avondale Church which generously allowed us the use of its facilities for the registration of the players and their return at the end of the day for results to be announce and prizes to be awarded. 

Sixty players took part coming from around the country and including a party of twelve  from London. An evening meal at the Drawing Room was arranged for the London party, followed by a programme of Scottish music provided by local singers and musicians.The excellent sum of £2000 was raised for HHI

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