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Old Ruts Kenya
Let's make Christmas special for Old Ruts in Kenya
Some of you, through fundraising in local schools, may already be familiar with the Lunch Bowl charity that supports vital orphanage work in the slum areas of Kiberia outside Nairobi.
Sally and Stuart McGreevy who spearhead the charity are part of the Old Ruts family. They relocated to Kenya 3 years ago to be even more active on the ground. In that time their son James, who would now be in our Ruts u18s, has successfully set up an Old Ruts Kenya adventure.
On Sundays up to 300 Mini's (boys and girls) are collected from the streets of Kiberia and bused over an hour's drive to rugby school facilities where James has established a special Sunday experience for them all to look forward to......rugby, exercise, friendships, togetherness and importantly some post match rugby food, which for the majority will be their only hot meal of the week.
There is a long list of things we can do as a rugby club to help James in continuing his excellent work and going forward we will aim to always have one thing on the go to support our Old Ruts Kenya family.
Our immediate priority will be to organise Xmas presents again from our Minis with small gifts and basic hygiene essentials like toothpaste. This activity will start on Sunday 12/11 at Rutlish School where players will be able to purchase a £2 Old Ruts Kenya boot bag to fill for Xmas.
Here's a list of suggestions:
Toys: Bear, soft toy, tennis ball, finger puppet, jigsaw, small musical instrument, building blocks, small trucks and cars, for girls clip on earrings, jewellery.
Educational supplies: felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring books, note pads, picture or puzzle books, chalk pencil case, stickers etc.
Hygiene Items: toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush, comb, soap, flannel, hair clips.
Other items: sweets (sell by date to be at least March 2018), gloves, scarf, sunglasses, cap, hat, bangles, necklaces, small torches with batteries, neutral coloured vests and underwear (stretchy boxer shorts), socks, water-proofs, Kagools in a bag
Please wrap each gift individually in Christmas paper and place in the Old Ruts Kenya boot bag which you can purchase for £2.00. All filled boot bags must be returned to the club no later than Sunday 10th December. Let’s give Old Ruts in Kenya a Christmas to remember.
Please don't include any of the following:
- No food: especially chocolate. Only exception non-chocolate sweets
- No medicine or vitamins of any kind
- No clothing other than listed above
- No fragile items: Glass containers, mirrors
- No liquids: including blow bubbles, shampoo, bubble bath, toiletry sets or aerosols
- No dangerous items: Sharp Objects, scissors, or razors
- No novels or literature of a political nature
- No hand-knitted stuffed toys without a CE mark
Due to import regulations all gifts should be new and comply with the conditions listed above, please ensure the gifts are age appropriate and individually wrapped.
Old kit also needed
Running alongside this they are desperately short of kit and clothing in Kenya and they need more kit donations from us asap - old trainers (as the ground is often hard), any boots, shirts (rugby or football) socks or tops and hoodies are also an essential as in the winter months it helps the children stay warmer at night time. Many of us must have countless Brean Sands hoodies in all colours and sizes!
If you are donating old kit can we please all have a big push over the next 2-3 weeks. Bag it up and leave it either in the Rutlish School pavilion or outside the club shop on any Sundays.
We can all make such a difference here by acting collectively to get behind such a great cause. Sadly the mortality rate of infants under 5 years old is 50% in Kiberia and for the lucky survivors Old Ruts Kenya can give them a family and weekly focal point to look forward to.
Donate
If you would like to make a donation then you can do so now by going to https://webcollect.org.uk/oldruts/subscription#kenya-donations and selecting the Kenya Donations tab where you will see the Rugby: Old Ruts Kenya item for you to select an amount to add to your basket.
Many thanks for you support.
Paul Cecil - 07831 526389
Old Ruts Youth Chair
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- Written by Jason Besant