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Health Help International celebrates its 25th Anniversary

The Newport-based Charity Health Help International (HHI) is 25 in November 2024.  From small beginnings, it has raised almost £4 million pounds to support the most deprived people in Zambia and India through medical work, disability and special needs, self-sufficiency and empowerment. 

Its dedicated team of volunteers not only give their time, energy, expertise and experience freely, but also pay for the UK running costs so that every penny that we are given by our supporters is sent aboad.

Currently its work is in two parts of the world – Monze in the Southern Province of Zambia, and near Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) in the state of Kerala in India as well as in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. 

To celebrate its 25th anniversary the Charity set itself a target of raising £25,000 to build a new dormitory for disabled students at the Choongo school in Zambia. There were 60 residential students but only 48 beds in the existing dormitory. The appeal for funds has met with a great response from its supporters in Wales and England and thanks to the efforts of SFHHI and generous donations from the committee of the Round Strathaven 50 (see the report on the 2024 RS50 in the news section) more than half of the £25,000 which has now been successfully raised has been generated in Strathaven. 

The new dormitory has now been built and was opened on 23rd October 2024 – see details of this in the report of the visit of Jute Williams and Kath Russell to Zambia.

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Visit to Zambia by Jute Williams and Kath Russell

SFHHI committee member Kath Russell was able to join Jute Williams on her annual visit to Zambia in October this year. They spent two hard working and very successful weeks based at the HHZ HQ building in Monze despite problems throughout due to the every-day shut-down of the electricity supply and the challenge of driving to outlying locations on very poor and often non-existent roads.

They were able to visit the many projects and activities supported by HHI including the ongoing provision of food to many of those suffering from the continuing serious drought in Zambia. There are many moving and memorableitems inthe reports which Jute sent back each day. Have a look at these and the accompanying photographs in the latest News section of the HHI website at www.hhi.org.uk

A highlight of the visit was the ceremonial opening of the new dormitory at the Choongo school. The target of raising £25,000 to celebrate HHI’s 25th anniversary was set early this year. Amazingly this been  successfully achieved and by sending out funds at various stages building works were able to be started in April and the building successfully completed by the end of September. Attended by various dignitaries including the local Chief Choongo and the area member of Parliament and with singing and traditional Tonga dancing provided by the schools’ students  the opening ceremony was carried out by Kath. She cut the ceremonial ribbon and unveiled the commemorative plaque which had been provided by SFHHI.

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Big Picture Charity Films 

Nik and Maria Reed of the BPCF film company visited India in 2022 with Health Help International Chairman Edmund Plummer and also Zambia in 2023 with Jute Williams to film the work of the Charity in both these countries.

Have a look at the excellent films produced by BPCF illustrating the wide-range of the activities and projects supported by HHI in India and Zambia. There are nineteen in all. They can be viewed on the HHI website at www.HHI.org.uk 

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2024 Bridge Drive 

This will be held in the Strathaven Golf Clubhouse on Tuesday afternoon 12th November. As last year’s this is a fun bridge (not board bridge) event and caters for bridge players who find our Cafe Bridge Days too challenging. It starts with a light lunch served at 12.00 noon  and will finish about 4.00 pm. To reserve tickets (£15 per person) or take a table of four please phone or text Iain on 07771720388. All monies raised are on behalf of HHI. Raffle prizes will be gratefully accepted.

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2024 Round Strathaven 50 

This year’s RS50,  held on Sunday 18th August, was the 22nd since the first one in 2002

Another record number of cyclists had entered and though there was the usual fairly large number who did not turn up over 700 took part in the two events, the 50 and the 15 miles routes. There was an encouraging increase in the number of families and young cyclists taking part in the 15 miles event.

The weather was good and almost everyone completed their routes. There were as usual many favourable comments from the cyclists about the organisation of the event and especially about the usual excellent refreshments at the various locations.

A record sum of £17,000 was raised and once again Health Help International received a very generous donation of £6000 which is being used to provide the beds and bedding in the new Choongo dormitory. This brings the total amount received by HHI from the RS50 events since 2002 to just over £66,000 

Alex and Maria of the BPCF Company which produced the excellent films of HHIs work in India and Zambia attended the event and filmed throughout the day from both ground level and using their drone for aerial footage. We look forward to seeing the completed film of the 2024 RS50 towards the end of the year. 

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Cafe Bridge Day 2024

Cafe Bridge Days are relatively new in the UK but such events have been enjoyed on the Continent for a number of years. At these, players move between a number of prearranged venues and play several hands of bridge in each.

SFHHI hosted its first Cafe Bridge Day in June 2023. Following its success the second Strathaven Cafe Bridge Day was held on Wednesday 12th June this year. Supported by the members of the Strathaven and Hamilton Bridge Clubs and with visitors from around the country including a party from London a total of 56 players took part. Avondale Church again generously allowed us the use of its premises for registration and for the control of the event throughout the day. From there the players headed out to the first of their playing venues. Six local cafes and restaurants had kindly allowed us the used of their facilities and after the first session the players moved around the town playing a number of hands in each of them, enjoying lunch half way round and returning to the church for prize-giving. The winning pair were Moyra Forrest and Kathy Whaler from Edinburgh. 

A very successful musical evening in the church provided an enjoyable finish to the day.  Contributing to this were a number of Strathaven’s talented musicians and singers including Heather Ewart and Ailesh McInnes, the Strathaven Strummers, Eric and Jackie Rice and Ellen Templeton. They provided an excellent and wide ranging musical treat much appreciated by the forty strong audience. 

As a result of the day’s activities the excellent total of £2000 was raised on behalf of Health Help International helping it towards its target of raising £25,000 this year to build a new dormitory for disabled children at Choongo School in Zambia.

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HHI visits to India and Zambia in 2023

Jute Williams returned to Zambia for her annual visit in September. She was accompanied this time by the BPFC film crew who were to carry a full programme of filming the various projects and individuals supported by HHI as they had already done earlier in the year in India when they accompanied HHI’s Chair Edmund Plummer on his annual visit to that country. The results of their efforts can be viewed by using the links below.

There were many moving and memorableitems inthe reports which Jute sent back each day during her annual visit to Zambia. Have a look at these in Jute’s Travelogue under the News item in the HHI website.

The films from India can also be viewed on the Films section of the website