Summer Visit Success

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Published: Thursday, 11 September 2014 11:16

 Our excellent group of students from St John's, from London and from Ireland were in Gunjur for three weeks in July and August staying with families and working on the construction of a fence around the magnificently productive 12 acre women's vegetable garden which was first fenced in 1999 by another indomitable group of students led by Nick Webb, using traditional materials, to keep cattle out. After 15 years, the cattle were beginning to win the battle, the cabbages were suffering and it was time to provide concrete posts and barbed wire.

This group led by Max Ansell ex student from St John's and Ali Vyvyan, ex student from Marlborough College, were described by their hosts in Gunjur as "the best group ever"! And certainly, from the one week that I, Nick Maurice, overlapped with them, it was clear that they had developed an extraordinary bond with their families and the community and I have no doubt that the students, in common with so many of our young visitors to Gunjur, will have been "changed for life". They were working in the garden when the British Ambassador to The Gambia visited Gunjur at our invitation and spent a morning seeing some of the projects in which we have been involved.

 Colin Crorkin, British Ambassador with members of the summer group to Gunjur drawing water to mix with sand and cement.

Once again I witnessed tears from all when it came to leave and say goodbye to the families with whom they had stayed. We are grateful to the Gunjur Community Link and their public relations officers and the families who looked after the group so well. The students gave an excellent presentation of their visit Friday 5 September in St Peter's Church – thank you for the good turnout.

 Nick Maurice