Saturday 10 November 2007

As weeks go this has been a productive one.
After the books to the prisons, the West End Refugee Centre in Newcastle and to Newcastle Womens Aid we were about 500 books lighter.
We're hoping that the Co-Op will help the refugee centre with nappies and 'womens hygeine products' I think they are politely called. They are at least now in direct contact and asking sensible questions.
Back in Leiden a new volunteer turned up. That's good timing as we have to get a shipment of books together for the children looked after by Vluchtelingenwerk (similar to the Refugee Council) somewhere in the south of the Netherlands. Last year we sent them a big load of books and made some nice bookplates so the children could choose one and write their name in their book.
Next new venture is to take books to Groningen for the monthly 'market' at the old convent where a number of refugees are living. Once a month local low-income families come by to get food packets and free clothes. This time they can get free books as well and if that's a success we can do it regularly.
Since Newcastle and Groningen are twin towns we have wanted to build up contacts in both cities and hope that we can somehow use that twinning concept to help organisations on both sides of the water.

More another time. It is far too late but I just squashed a week's work into a day as I am back to the UK tomorrow.

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The daughter of a dear friend started chemo today and is mourning the end of breast-feeding her son of 9 months old. Hard to think I used to babysit this brave woman when she was smaller than her little boy is now.

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