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Café Bridge

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In a new venture for SFHHI we will be hosting a Café Bridge event in Strathaven on Wednesday 7th June. This will be a fun day for all bridge players and we are hoping to attract approximately 80 people to the town from all over the UK.  The bridge will be a very sociable game and will involve moving from one café to the next after every 4 hands, with lunch included at one of the stops. If you play bridge at home, or in a club, please come along and play. If you don’t play, please pass on the information to all the bridge players that you know. The day will start and finish at Avendale Church where a raffle will be drawn and prizes awarded. As ever we hope you will support in whatever way you can and please spread the word.

More information and registration for the event can be found here 

or phone Kath on 07916 171 830

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Round Strathaven 50

This year’s event, the 21st RS50 since it started in 2002 was held on 21st August and was one of the most successful to date. Around 550 cyclists of all ages took part over either the 15 or 50 miles routes and the excellent sum of over £12,000 was raised. Many cyclists donated more than the £22 entry fee towards the good causes which the RS50 supports, including Health Help International. This year the Charity received the generous donation of £6,000.

This will be put towards the fund which HHI has established for the purchase of a new Autoclave machine for the Monze Mission Hospital in Zambia. These sterilising machines are essential to the safe running of the hospital and the present machines are nearing the end of their useful life. 

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HHI Bridge Drive

After an absence of two years due to the restrictions of Covid the Strathaven Friends of HHI were able to hold their annual fund raising Bridge Drive in aid of  Health Help International last Saturday.

It was well supported with fifty players from The Strathaven and Hamilton Bridge Clubs taking part. The support of the Hamilton members was particularly appreciated by the SFHHI committee. 

Thanks are due to the Board of the Avondale Church which was the venue for the occasion and which provided most comfortable and congenial surroundings and excellent facilities. 

The players were fortified for the afternoon’s play by an excellent light lunch provide beforehand by Ian Gow and his helpers.

The successful winners of the bridge were Hamilton visitors Margaret MacFarlane and partner Janet Love and the Strathaven Club’s Margery and Harry Menzies.

The lucky winner of the impressive HHI cake generously donated by Alexander Taylors was Mrs Isobel Calderhead, pictured receiving it from committee member Helen Baird

The excellent sum of just over £1270 was raised for Health Help International to help its efforts towards the purchase of a much needed new Autoclave Machine for the Monze Mission Hospital in Zambia.

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Strathaven Friends of HHI support for the Banyan Tree Tuition Group

As you can imagine last year, 2021, has been like no other year. There have been extra unforeseen costs for our tuition groups and social distancing, face coverings, isolation, inoculation and peripatetic teaching have all changed the way we offer our help. The Avendale group support three Tuition Groups in Kerala in South India. The three groups we sponsor are UNDAPPARA Tuition Group, CHERAPPALY Tuition Group, and ARYANAD Tuition Group. Last year at this time the estimated running cost for each group was £50.00 per month but the additional costs have made that estimate difficult to achieve. However due to your continued support and generosity we achieved that estimated figure in October allowing this important work to continue. By the end of the year 2021 a total of £3231 was raised and with the addition of monies reclaimed from Gift Aid the gross amount surpassed even our highest expectations.  All donations for the Tuition Group go directly through HHI to the Banyan Tree Tuition Group work. After completing a number of health inspections and certificates being issued schools have re-opened. We hope it will not be long before the Tuition Groups can meet in a “pre covid” way.

Many thanks to all for your continued support for our Tuition Groups in India. We are not sure how this work will proceed in these difficult times but be assured your gifts will continue to improve the education and subsequently the life achievements in communities in Kerala. Ian Gow , who has organised the Avendale supporters, receives donations in many ways. Some folk give an annual donation in January, some give a donation each month through the year and others give a donation at birthdays or anniversaries. Some give a donation electronically directly to HHI. Whichever way and by however much you decide to support the Banyan Tree Tuition Groups it will be received with grateful thanks.

Edmund Plummer, the Chair of Health Help International was able to return this year to Kerala to see the many individuals and various projects which HHI has been supporting throughout the Pandemic and he has sent us these photos of the Tuition Groups at Undappara and Cherappaly which he visited.

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Round Strathaven 50 2021

After cancellation in 2020 due to Covid 19 the RS50 returned to the roads around Strathaven on 19th September. It had changed a little to meet the challenges of the Pandemic and involved staggered starts and different procedures for signing in to help maintain social distancing. Despite the restrictions there were over 450 entrants for the 50 miles event and 60 families took part over the 15 miles route.

Despite the mixed weather which brought sunshine and heavy rain all the entrants seemed to be having a good day and many voiced their thanks to the organisers and said how delighted they were to be back for the RS50. They were particularly appreciative of the marshals and those who provided the savouries and home baking at the two food stops. The RS50 is indebted to the many individuals and supporters in the community who provide help on the day. 

Once again the RS50 committee has been very generous in its support of Health Help International and has donated £4,500 to the Charity from the monies raised this year.