Licking Lassa Fever in Sierra Leone

Newsletter May 2009

Welcome to our sixth e-newsletter.

Achievements Update:

  • Our current balance is £51375.80 (as at 22nd April 2009). An increase of £9375 since the last newsletter.
  • Visit to Sierre Leone – the planned January 2009 visit to Sierre Leone went ahead, but minus Kay Richmond, so we were very thankful to Jackie Mosedale for joining Carwen on the trip at very short notice. See http://licking-lassa-fever.org.uk/?p=402 for a report.
  • Letter of Agreement – A formal agreement with the British Red Cross has been signed. We will be transferring the first payment in August 2009, as requested by the SLRCS. There will be subsequent payments in 2010 and 2011, subject to satisfactory project reports. The programme is the Community Based Health Care Programme (http://www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp?id=93307), just starting in Sierra Leone but to see how it works go to the link for Liberia which is next door to Sierra Leone. LF will be part of the programme in SL.
  • Schools Pack - Sue Walker from Port Talbot Club has come forward to help us create a schools pack. We will be meeting with her soon – if you would like to help please let us know, using the contact form at the foot of the page.

PR Highlights:

  • Cherry Wright, President SI Cardiff – Sponsored Walk. Cherry has done it!! What an achievement – and her hard work has raised over £1000 so far – there is more to come. Thank you Cherry.- A press release detailing her efforts is available – see http://licking-lassa-fever.org.uk/?p=501.

Making a Difference:

  • SI Cardiff and President Cherry Wright – WNO at Gilbys. All tickets for this event in July 2009 have been sold. It looks like it will be a great social evening and will boost our funds further.
  • Ann Thomas of SI Cardiff attended a Soroptimist meeting in Malta recently and talked briefly to the members about LLF. The members were very interested and have graciously given her half a carrier bag of jewellery to add to the cache!!
  • Jewellery – this continues to be a great money-spinner and we are sure that more jewellery will arrive. So far it has raised over £10,000. We believe that we can raise more from this simple, but effective activity. So if you have not asked your family, friends, neighbours or colleagues yet, then please do so. Another idea is to ask local hotels, leisure centres and businesses to collect for us – lost property can be donated after a 3-month waiting period.

Sponsorship and Grants: If you know of anyone we should approach and can help us to do that then please get in touch via the contact form.

Grant Giving Bodies – We continue to look for grant-giving bodies we can approach for support. Do you know anyone we can contact? Or do you work for a corporate body, which would support our project? An appeal letter is available to send to local businesses and organisations seeking sponsorship – see Downloads.

Practical Points:

  • Website – We are always looking for photos and news snippets to add to the site so please send items to Kay Richmond.
  • Flyers and Posters – These are now available electronically for you to produce for your own activities – see Downloads.
  • Gift Aid - please remember Gift Aid when raising money for us – see Downloads.
  • Books – We continue to sell second hand books, and have introduced second hand DVDs &CDs at our Regional Meetings – is this something you could do for us?
  • Goods for sale on Ebay – we are selling good quality on Ebay with all monies going to LLF. Please bring your good quality clothes (such as Windsmoor, Elvi, Jaegar, Per Una) to future Regional Meetings or become a Community Seller – http://pages.ebay.co.uk/ebayforcharity/sell.html. Please note that any items received by Region, which we cannot sell on Ebay, will be sent to a local charity shop.

Money for LLF via the web – at no cost to you:

Listing of LLF: -

Past Fundraising ideas include:

*Using LLF as your wedding present list
*In lieu of birthday or Christmas presents
* Inviting members and friends to a Charity Lunch at your house
* Strawberry Tea
* Holding a cookery demonstration
* Arranging a sponsored slim
* Arranging a sponsored climb
* Arranging a sponsored abseil or paraglide
*Arranging a Moneypath
* Remembering to look for matched funding when you hold an event
* Obtaining Gift Aid adds to the coffers*