Forest Church pews covered with blankets for Tanzania
HUNDREDS of colourful blankets made by island knitters and sewers will soon be heading to Tanzania as part of the Tumaini Fund’s continuing efforts to help the country’s poorest children.
Charity chairwoman Dr Susan Wilson said that over the years thousands of blankets have made their way to the country and have provided warmth and comfort for orphaned children living in the mountains of Kagera in north-western Tanzania.
Every year the Forest Church holds a special service at which locally-made blankets bedeck many of the pews and Dr Wilson has an opportunity to provide an update on the charity’s work.
This year was no exception and the rector, the Rev. Claire Claxton, said she and church members had arrived the day before to find dozens of bags of blankets waiting to be unpacked.
Dr Wilson planned to collect them the day after the service to take to the charity’s storage space at Ferryspeed.
She said they were due to be shipped out of the island in the next month or so.
Before then, five containers carrying blankets, shoes, clothing and other items donated by people from Guernsey and overseas are due to reach the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam. She said she hoped that everything would get through customs without a problem because the rules have changed frequently over recent months due to the pandemic.
Dr Wilson used to pay annual visits to the country but has not been there since January 2020. ‘God willing, at the beginning of next year I will get back there,’ she said.
. Anyone who would like more information about the charity or who would like to help can find out more information and contact Dr Wilson via its website at www.tumainifund.org.uk.
