May meeting
The speaker at our May meeting was Rev Dr Coleen Jackson, Curate at Christ Church, Portsdown. Her most interesting subject: “My time on Mission in Rwanda”, a country she has visited on several occasions.
Mission— “Going on Christian Mission means participating in an organised effort to share Christian Faith and share the Gospel Message — Our responsibility to take care of those in need.”
Rwanda is a small country in Central Africa, with stunning scenery, known as the “Land of 1,000 Hills”.
The team of about 12 travelled five hours along mainly dirt track roads to reach their destination.
Their group, with mixed experience and skills, worked on a wide range of projects including building many water pumps, delivering medical services, helping in schools and even with building houses. These, made of mud, could be completed in approx. 3 weeks and cost £2,000–£3,000. There would be a ballot to decide who the new owner would be.
Fund raising prior to them travelling helped provide the necessary finances.
Rev Jackson has a background in education and helped both in schools and with the Rwandan Government. The children, mostly boarders, were eager to learn skills to enable them to earn a living by courses and projects, also in learning English, (the Government having changed the “medium of education” from French to English in 2008).
The Rwandan people are very entrepreneurial and can turn a small idea, for example a few chickens to sell eggs, or items to sell at market into a money making business. They consider education to be a “tool to get our of poverty.”
After a time or War and devastation, there is now a wish for reconciliation and a future of prosperity and peace.
June meeting
The speaker at our June meeting was Mr Graham Olway, Chairman of Purbrook and Widley Area Residents Association.
During one of Mr Olway’s “little Picks” on Purbrook Heath he met a gentleman from PAWAR as it is known, and was pursuaded to go to one of their meetings. He soon found himself elected as Chairman!
In 1995, ten people founded the Purbrook and Widley Environmental Strewards, mainly a pressure group especially concerned about the new housing in West Waterlooville.
In February 2005 the name was changed to the Purbrook and Widley Residents Association.
It is a non-politican organisation and concentrates on a wide range of local issues including contact with local councillors, hedge cutting, tree planting, organising working parties at Penjar Pond, removing Spanish Bluebells from the Sandy Dell area and planting the native specieis, and many other important local projects.
There are regular “Litter Picks”, but more are needed. If an area is cleared it is less likely to become “re-littered”. Between 2011–2022 over 1,000 litter bags were filled.
The PAWAR Newsletter is delivered to approx. 4,000 households across Purbrook and Widley.
There are two public meetings per year. Graham said less and less people are atttending these, also they need more volunteers and more local involvement to ensure the association is able to continue.
