County General Floor & Vault
Milton Keynes
21st March 2010
County Four Piece Competition
Milton Keynes
11th July 2010
County General Floor & Vault
Milton Keynes
31st October 2010
Wednesdays 8 – 10pm
17th Feb, 24th Feb, 3rd March, 17th March, 24th March, 31st March
No sessions on 2nd Wednesday of the month
Fridays 6 – 7.15pm
12th Feb, 26th Feb, 5th Feb, 12th Feb, 19th Feb, 26th Feb
No session on Friday during Half Term
Spring Term
11th January 2010 – 1st April 2010
Summer Term
19th April 2010 – 23rd July 2010
Booker attended the Bucks County General Competition in Milton Keynes in October 2009. 27 gymnasts attended and we came home with 21 medals, 10 Gold, 5 Silver and 6 Bronze!!! Out of these gymnasts 18 scored high enough to move up into the next level.
LEVEL 10
Alexandra, Isabella, Katalina, Victoria, Aimee, Mia, Oliver, Diane
Victoria got Gold in the 8 year old girls section with the highest marks on both floor and vault. Isabella got Silver and Aimee bronze, so a clean sweep on the podium for Booker. All move up to Level 9. Katalina got Gold in the 10 year old girls section with the highest marks on both floor and vault, and Alexandra bronze in her first competition! Both move up to level 9. Oliver narrowly missed out on Gold and came home with Silver for the 8 year old boys and did a very neat and tidy floor and vault. Sadly Diane and Mia Taylor missed out on the medals this time, both coming 6th in their age groups.
LEVEL 9
Georgia, Erin, Hannah, Caitlin, Heather, Sean, Scarlet
Sean got Gold in the 7 and 8 year old boys section and achieved the highest score on the floor, moving up to level 8. Caitlin got Gold in the 8 year old girls and got the highest score on the floor, moving up to level 8. Scarlet got Bronze only narrowly missing out on Silver. Hannah sadly missed out on the medals this time coming 6th. Heather got Gold in the 9 year old girls section and achieved the highest score on vault and moves up to level 8. Erin narrowly missed out on bronze by .05 coming 4th with a very high score and moves up to level 8.
LEVEL 8
Hana-Marie, Kate, Kara, Will, Freya, Evie, Aleksander
Hana-Marie got Silver in the 8 year old girls and achieved the highest mark on the floor, moving up to level 7. Kate got Gold in the 10 year old girls and achieved the highest scores on both floor and vault, and overall across all ages in Level 8! Kara got Bronze in this age group with a very respectable score and both girls move up to level 7. Evie and Freya came 5th and 6th in this section with very high scores showing the high level of competition. At last there was a big turn out for the 10 year old boys. Will took Gold in this age group and the highest score on vault across the whole of this level for both boys and girls! He moves up to level 7. Aleksander got Gold and 26.30 moving up to level 7.
LEVEL 7 & 6
Alex, Ellie, Rosie, Diane, Honor, Harriet
Harriet is the star of the day after getting Gold against fierce competition in the 12 year old girls in Level 7, achieving the highest score on floor. Ellie took bronze in this age group and achieved the highest score on vault. Both girls move up to level 6. Rosie got Gold with a staggering 28.50 and achieved highest score on both floor and vault, while Diane followed closely behind with Silver. Both girls move up to level 6.
Alex got bronze at level 6 with 27.05, a very good score at this high level.
Whey hey, back on English soil. What a journey, got to Accra airport at 8pm last night and arrived in the UK at 6.30 this morning. It’s only a 6 hour flight but the airport is definately on Ghanian time and took forever to get through all the checks, probably because there was one, yes just one, metal detector thing in the whole place and half the world needed to get through it to board! My brain has ceased to function, can’t vouch for Jo but I reckon she’s in the same state, but I will attempt to write the blog for the last day because omg it was such a good one!
Our last day was to be spent teaching at the Osu Children’s Home and we didn’t expect to have a good experience because it is such a desperate place so to finish our trip on such a high was amazing. It was a bit of a shaky start, we nearly gave up believing we would actually be able to teach that day, after all the meetings to organise it that week it was really depressing. I guess it just the ghanian way, no communication or organisation for that matter. The usual long wait, then we had to literally take the matter into our own hands and seek out and find, question and push people to get it sorted, but oh it was really worth it.
To begin with the class was chaotic with way too many children, 99% of which were very keen boys, but what a bunch of lads – we soon realised we had a really capable group, all prepared to give us 200%. We had been promised the Civic Centre so we lugged all the equipment across campus in the heat only to be chucked out of there an hour later! So we lugged it all the way to the carpark where there was shade and carried on regardless.
Our whole feelings about the Osu changed when we met Janet who was the head of the pre-school there. Bubbly and smiling, she stayed with us the whole session and even threatened to join in. Finally we had found someone who seemed interested in the children and she was keen to carry on the gym after we had left. She recognised the talent in the boys and said she would set up evening sessions for them and run a friday session for the little ones each week.
It really was full on all afternoon, the boys instant reaction to anything is to push, kick or hit. Most of the children at the home are there due to abuse, abandonment or are orphans and there is a lot of emotion flying around. They are tough cookies and have had to look after themselves to survive. We found we really did have to keep them in line but the rewards were amazing, they could all vault by the end of the session and every last one of them could cartwheel so we taught round offs aswell as all the basic floor skills and then finished with back flics!
Teaching in the heat was unpleasant to put it mildly, with tops you could wring out and even the odd bit of chaffing, lovely!
So we left the Osu with high spirits, time and attention is what they children really needed and we managed to give them this in bucket loads. We’ve met some amazing children and some truly good people who we can trust to help us. Obviously we will miss the chaos, the random street sellers and the big pot holes which gave us whiplash, and of course Effort our lovely driver. He was really helpful and mucked in wherever we were, helping us control the more rowdier elements and also did take some pictures for us as we had our hands full.
We left Ghana with heavy hearts but we have started something good here. When we have caught up with sleep and work we will update with the Charity’s figures and expenditure. This is not the end, thank you for reading and all your support. Until next time!
Big Love
Jo & Kate
You will have to bear with us, we’ve just drunk some wine which doesn’t mix well clearly with our malaria tablets!
It was an early buttock clenching start, and imodium was needed for the 2 hour journey to the home, if you get my drift. After eating the local food yesterday it was no surprise and we definately won’t be doing that again!
We arrived earlier than expected and our host was still in her pjs but the kids were on fine form. It was my turn today and yes, the first child I cuddled resulted in a quick exit to clean my camera and t-shirt. Anyway, we got down to business before it got too hot and had a very bizarre gymnastics class. Just about every single child in the entire place wanted to join in on a very small matted area and suddenly our english was not making that much sense. Eventually we got a very vague kind of order to the proceedings but this did descend into chaos just about every five minutes. However the children were having such a great time we just had to carry on for what seemed like hours in the heat. Unfortunately we didn’t manage to get any photo’s of this as we had our hands full!
We then decided some cool shade was needed and read to the children in the school house, this was just lovely, they really enjoyed participating. The children really need more volunteers to spend time with them because they are so eager to learn.
Madame Naomi then arrived and she was a breath of fresh air in the home. All the children love and respect her and she makes time for everyone, from the babies all the way up to the teenagers. We had a really good chat to get a good idea of where we could help and then she was eager for us to put together a health programme with some of the medicines we had provided. So we spent the majority of our time today labelling and explaining what to do with the various medications. We then gave all the babies and children the first dose of vitamins which will be given for the next few weeks until they run out.
After this it was time to slip into those rubber gloves, so lovely is such oppressive heat, and Naomi and another lad shaved heads and we treated ringworm, which was nice! Honestly, these children, with sores bleeding on their heads, never complained once. Soon we had a nice little local hospital going.
After the extreme heat Jo and I made a hasty retreat to get our fill of the beautiful babies in the lovely cool nursery. Some of the teenage girls came in with new books and read to us inbetween caring for the little ones.
When we ventured back into the sunshine we had lots of fun playing with the children and reading them their new books. Jo, even though her bottom is not big enough, went for a wander with a little bambino in a scarf on her back, I think this was the highlight of her day.
This frivolity was cut short as we had to don those lovely sweaty gloves again to become nurses to the masses. Word had spread and we ended up treating loads of sores and infected feet. Jo was an absolute diamond and much braver than me dealing with some very nasty sights.
Time to go and that was awful. Very very sad. I had to say goodbye to Robert, who I had lost my heart to, he was a complete diamond and a little sweetheart. John had also made it to the gate to get his last glimpse of Jo. It’s mad that you can get so attached in such a short space of time.
So, we chill tomorrow morning and then pray we have more control in our gym classes at the Osu Children’s Home, if we don’t, we’re in trouble!
Plus, everyone fingers crossed we can fly tomorrow night
Big love Kate and Jo
Another tediously long journey to the Royal Seed today! Market day everywhere and the poverty is horrendous. We have been offered so many random items for sale along the way, including 8 piece screwdrivers, superglue, television aerials and plugs alongside the usual food and water! Excitingly we managed to negotiate many lanes of traffic to buy much needed rabbits which were for sale on the side of the road. We were concerned that they were both the same sex and also a little on the old side! We prayed they would make the 2 hour journey and arrive alive!
We arrived and were warmly welcomed by the children and Teresa. They were surprised that we had returned, especially with a whole van load of equipment, as I expect they have many visitors who say they’ll help but find the journey prohibitive. Luckily the rabbits were still alive, but the lads that looked at them had very raised eyebrows, oops, but were very polite!
Jo was immediately covered in diahorrea as she picked up a baby who clearly had tummy troubles which was delightful, but she carried on regardless, showing no outward signs of distress!
When it came to distribute the toys all hell broke loose! They just got totally overexcited, but we soon managed to sit down quietly and enjoy the drawing sets we had brought with many of them while the others just had a great time with all the balls and the skipping ropes.
We have learnt an incredible amount about their culture today, and some things that we thought were really important are simple not in this way of life. We can now really set about focusing on the things that really need to be achieved by the Booker Gym Children’s Charity.
We had loads of cuddles in the baby section which is proving to be quite heart rendering. They just thrive on attention and are really fantastic to be with.
Lunchtime came and all the children were really well fed which was lovely to see. Theresa insisted that we eat so we knew there would be another buttock clenching afternoon ahead!
By the way, it was revoltingly hot hot hot and Jo and I looked like we’d been dragged threw a ditch by the time we left! But we had more equipment to move and take to the Osu Children’s Home to prepare for our gymnastic classes on the weekend.
Everything takes a million years to organise at these places and the Osu Children’s Home is no exception! Its taken all week to organise to teach there and we can only get a few hours on Sunday afternoon, but we will try our hardest to teach as many children as possible. All the children we have seen there are really keen to have a go, and some of the workers too!
Tired and dirty and still have to work out how to upload our photos.
Very early start tomorrow
Big love Jo & Kate
We’ve just got a little confused as to what day it is and totally deleted our last blog which I have to say was incredibly moving and witty! So now we gonna just have to try and convey the rollercoaster ride of a day we’ve just had.
Obviously I am sitting here in a coat, as Jo is still totally obsessed with mosquitos and dying of malaria and believes she can freeze them out!
The day has had its highs and lows. We went to the Osu Children’s Home and this is when our day went downhill rapidly. We gave the manager our donation of nappies and disposable gloves which were added to a huge stock pile of donated goods in her offices. We then went on a tour of the set up and our first stop was the nursery. Beautiful babies lay in heaps on the floor with not a nappy between them! This seemed very strange considering the nappy mountain we had just witnessed. Needless to say we were ushered through really quickly, having to put down the babies we had in our arms almost immediately, but we were left with a sensory reminder for the rest of the day!
The children here have so much more in terms of facilities but yet they are seriously lacking in love and affection.
We went on to stay and play with the toddlers and were able to have a few questions answered by a couple of volunteers who were looking after the special needs children in this area. It seems that in the last six months since they have been working there, absolutely no aid has actually reached the children in their care. This home felt more like a prison and we were now becoming increasingly upset by all that we saw here. When the children fell asleep in our arms we had to leave and it is with a heavy heart that we have realised that we cannot help these children with our donations. All we can do, is give them time and love before we leave on Sunday.
Before we left we did lift our spirits a little after playing a raucous game of SNAP with some boys at the home. Jo is very over excited after learning Go Fish and Winning (even though they are only children), I am starting to believe she has lived a very sheltered life!!
But do not despair, we finished the day on a complete high after seeing Gladys who we had sent on a monumental shopping mission and we now have sudocreme, vitamins, detol, gripe water, baby formula in the box load, cereals, mosiquito nets and much much more to give to the Royal Seed Needy Home where we know all these donations will reach every loved child there. We are also taking 20 of the mats tomorrow which they want to use as beds for all the children that are sleeping on the floor!
Some picture’s to give you an idea of Ghana:
Early start tomorrow, so big love to you all, send us a comment if you can
Jo and Kate
January 7th 2010
Started our day choking to death on mosquito spray which Jo insists on applying every five seconds! Surprisingly its very hot – something we didn’t take into consideration when we left snowy England. Having said that, I am writing this with my coat on as the air con is creating sub zero temperatures!
Met up with our contacts David and Gladys in the morning and set off across Accra and out into the surburbs to a little known orphanage called the Royal Seed Needy Home. We picked up Veronica on the way who was involved very early on (approx 7 years ago) in helping found this project. She was very keen for us to come and see all the work that had happened in the last 7 years as when she first visited the home all the children had played, ate, gone to school and slept in a rickety wooden structure on a dust floor. Now there are a number of solid buildings and concrete floors due to lots of hard work and dedication by many people. However, she is concerned that there is still so much to be done, and this project is ignored completely by the government and receives no monetary help at all. Unlike the Osu Children’s Home in the centre of Accra, the children here are schooled within the compound and therefore there are additional costs needed to provide this schooling and they are in desperate need for teachers, books aswell as all the basics such as drinking water, food and medicines.
It was really emotional afternoon, children clung to us and it was heartbreaking to leave them – however we feel really positive that we can solve at least one of their problems by providing a filtration system for their water, which is undrinkable and having a terrible effect on their skin.
It is hard for us to paint a picture of exactly how these children are living – they have nothing, most of them sleep on the floor and one small bedroom which we thought was for about 8 children sleeps 40! There were 4 mosquito nets in total and 125 children living in this home – this will be our first priority tomorrow morning. None of the babies had mosquito nets and there were three sleeping on the floor when we arrived. We also witnessed three more children being dropped off by the police during our short time there.
The portions of food are really small and cooked outside over a fire as they do not have any gas cylinders for their kitchen. They are keeping chickens which at least allows the children to have one egg a week for their total protein intake. They showed us where they had kept rabbits for consumption except someone had stolen them! We will be replacing the rabbits as this may be the only meat they get.
Will download some pictures tomorrow as tired and got a really long day ahead of us tomorrow!
January 5th 2010
Arrived in Accra very late due to delays, very tired and very very hot! Need to get some rest as a very busy day planned tomorrow!