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Books and Toys Donated

Special toy delivery arrives in Uganda...

01 Mar 2010

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Children in an African country have started the new school year with an assortment of books and toys donated by a Hampshire demolition contractor and firefighters.

When the old Highbury College campus, in Cosham, closed last year to make way for a state of the art facility next door, hundreds of used toys and books were left behind.

After a visit to the site by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, an agreement was reached with Portsmouth based demolition company Hughes and Salvidge and the Mothercare Preparatory School in Uganda, to ship the toys to Africa.

The operation to remove and transport the toys to Uganda got underway last December.

And with the new school year getting underway in Uganda, children as young as four, are benefitting from the Portsmouth connection, playing with toys and reading books they might never have been exposed to.

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A small fire at the old campus last November meant Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Community Liaison Officer, Paul Cambell, visited the site and identified a large number of combustible materials, including books and toys.

Knowing that a new school was being built in Uganda, Crew Manager Cambell immediately contacted the site owners, Portsmouth based demolition company Hughes and Salvidge, to seek permission in sending them to Africa.

Two van loads of toys and books were quickly packed and transported out to the Mothercare School in the community of Nalumunye near the capital, Kampala, giving the youngsters a headstart in their education.

One of Mothercare Preparatory School’s founder, Paul Serukenya, an engineer from London, was instrumental in the transportation operation.

He said:

“All the children at the school want to thank Hughes and Salvidge and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service for the kind donation. The youngsters absolutely love their new toys and books, which are putting a smile of their faces.

“Without this donation from Portsmouth these youngsters would never have had such a positive introduction to their education.”

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