June 21: London: Celebration of Volunteers day

“Volunteers day and appeal for School in Snehalaya campus”

Please join us on 21st June 08, the Saturday in London.

This is that time of the year again. We are happy to invite all of you with friends and family to join us for the volunteers day (it is not only for volunteers as is wrongly understood sometimes, but all supporters, donors, sponsors and well wishers are welcome with family and friends), being held on 21st June in London, England with food, drinks, entertainment and much more. Several VIPs are invited and expected to join. Please join us for the party in the evening of 21st June 08 from 6 PM onwards. There will be a lot to every ones taste and interest. Venue details and how to reach there will be sent soon to everyone interested to join. Please let us know for the accommodation if you need. There are no charges, but please let us know for the numbers attending to help us organise appropriately and at the earliest please.

As you know the work continues at Gwalior in Central India through hospitals, eye and dental centres, rural clinics, schools and Orphanages to provide for poor, disabled, destitute and marginalised children and poor people of India. At present we have 38 children in our “Snehalaya- The home with love”, 40 more are expected with completion of five more cottages by May 08. Rural hospital, special need school with VTC, Gaushala, poultry, farms, gardens and orchards continue to grow with growth of Snehalaya within the campus. We were able to start the Stroke and Cardiac rehabilitation centre with ten beds for chronic care facilities also wef 10th March in our hospital, details on http://gchvols.pbwiki.com  and http://www.helpchildrenofindia.org.uk 

Our target for this year is to start an integrated school, including one for special needs for 200 children and the main stream with vocational training centre for 500 girls from surrounding villages, who remain uneducated otherwise undergoing oppression all their lives. We intend following the model of Pardada Pardadi Society's School in Annop Shahar as started by Sam Bhai, which we had an opportunity to see few years before. The girls will be provided with the uniforms, transport, books, food and the parents will be motivated for sending their girls for attending the school as well incentives will be given, which will give them a start in life after finishing the school to become independent. The project cost is £125K ($250K or Rs. one Crore approximately) and we are sure that all of you will help us generously once again as always so far to make it happen. We already got pledges for £35K and have started with the building plans for this School in Snehalaya Campus. Please be generous and consider maximum as much you can. All funds raised for this years volunteers day or by sale of raffle tickets or any contributions/donations received will go towards this project, unless you tell us otherwise. As you know we use 100% of funds received for the work only as per wishes of the respective donors/sponsors.

On the evening of 21st June, some volunteers will be honoured for their outstanding contributions during the year as volunteers of the year in respective categories supporting this cause, including Seniz Fareida Ibrahim, as fund raiser of the year for raising £9950 and Miss Laura Sikka for being the youngest volunteer during the year 2007.

THE 2008 RAFFLE IS ON. GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

The Lottery and raffle draw will be held during the Volunteers Day evening. First prize is our Heritage Mini or £500, then £250, then £100, then two prizes of £50 each and last five prizes of £10 each. Lottery tickets are available for sale, each costing £1 or US$2 or Indian Rs.80. You can buy as many tickets you like or donate as much you can and help us complete this work. You can pay on line now at http://www.gwalior.hospital.care4free.net/donation.html and please let us know by sending an e-mail to gwalior.hospital@care4free.net to confirm for our records and to inform if you are the lucky winner. All donors and every lottery ticket will be entered in the raffle draw with an opportunity to win the Heritage Mini car and prizes. If you prefer to send your contributions to help us by post, please send your cheque or CAF Voucher made to "Gwalior Childrens Hospital Charity" to us.

Please convey this message with our request to all your friends, family and to every one as you know, who may be interested in helping us or may like to volunteer with skills or expertise in their chosen discipline to help us take these works forward. We also provide opportunities to students and trainees to do their internship/elective or work experience.