Jiffy bag, containing about a hundred aids, so obviously from a hospital. This one had a Redhill postmark. Thanks to whoever sent them all, they all count!
9 February. It was the Lions Convention for those of us who live in the south east of England. As it was in Chichester, it gave me the opportunity to collect the hearing equipment sent there. Among the haul were splendid contributions from Bill Jones and the Ormskirk Lions as well as from the reticent but productive Lion Collier and his COGS. Thats Caterham Oxted and Godstone to the unenlightened! Thank you one and all, even if your packet was anonymous.
9 February. Bernice, my long suffering wife and I are of to see Lion Dr Hugh Thom at work in the Philippines on the 13th so there will be an interlude. However, we have made an appeal for surplus ballpoint pens. So, as well as taking 11 body aids and 56 in the ear aids, we are taking 25 card type calculators and 1500 pens! Hope the customs are sympathetic?
5 March. We are back! Jetlagged and with brains like birds nest but what a memorable trip we had. We visited a number of schools for the deaf and one for the blind. In countries where there is so much graft and corruption, it is quite amazing how devoted the staff are, who work for a pittance and make so much from minimal resources. Bernice and I were humbled.
5 March. Carol-Anne Fitz rang, having been given our number by John Carter of the Farnham, Surrey, Lions. Could she have some hearing aids for a village in Thailand? I am sure we can oblige.
6 March. Val Parris from the Burgess Hill Lions and David Beavan from the Chanctonbury Club each send us a nice few in the ear and behind the ear aids. Many thanks go to you both.
11 March. I attend the opening of the Sound Centre at Frankland prison in Durham. This is a venture set up by the Inside Out Trust, who aim to give prisoners a skill to help them find a job, as well as give them a faith in their ability to become worthy citizens. The IOT has invited Lions to help. From now on all the aids we receive will be sent to Frankland for repair and testing. We will then get back some of their production and we also undertake to feedback photograph and thanks from our customers. This was a heart-warming experience and I count it as one of the great days in the fifteen years of the Project.