First topic message reminder :

We have taken on 5 more projects for 2015 that makes 27 now, so will need your support some are small others are much larger

PROJECT (1) THE HOMELESS SHELTER SILISTRA
There are only 4 rooms in this establishment, a bathroom and a small kitchen. It is only open for the winter months and can take in only people who are recommended by social services.. The building was an old Kindergarden school and a section has been cut off for the homless shelter. It is not a great place but it is clean and has the basic facilitie needs.

We visited with 3 of our student helpers from the Maths school, who did two Christmas boxes for them as a class project. I asked the deptuty director how we could help and she said they need 20 sleeping bags, some towels and soap or any kiind of toiletries. So we will do our best to get what we can for them.............All donations gladly received

PROJECT (2) THE POOR IN BABOOK VILLAGE SILISTRA
This is much bigger project we met with the Mayor Konstina and said might be able to help the families. However, we do not give money but would be happy to help with clothes, toys linen and such like. The Myor was deligted as many of the families have nothings at all. We will visit some of the familes in due course. There are an average of 70 children of all ages. In additions to the normal collections we will try to do some Christmas gift bags for the children or at least one toy each so will need lots of small toy and soft toys a main pesents. If you can help please let me know thanks.

PROJECT (3) SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
This special needs school have 8 to 10 children so not a lot is needed just now. We will start off with very basic needs and see how it goes from there. They need things that they can hold like rattles, tactile items that make noises, coloring book, crayons, learning toys. Soft toys. Would be very grateful for your support..

PROJECT (4) THE CHURCH SILISTRA
The church is building a new extention, my understanding is this is to be kind of centre where the poor can come for a help with items like clothes, food and essentials We can only help them with a few boxes of clothes, toys and maybe some tined or dried food so again if you can help please let us know. Thank you so much

PROJECT (5) SILISTRA HOSPITAL
We have been supporting the Silstra hospital for a while now we brought tnd donated hem new wheelchairs back in 2008. in 2013 nd 2014 we brought boxes of baby items for the Maternity unit. This year we wll be working on clothing and small soft toys for the Maternity unit. We also need bed llinen and gowns for the wards. Again i you can help please let us kinow thank you..

As you know Dougie and I, Berni do evertything voluntary, we collect, sort, pack, label and pallet. It is a lot of hard work but cerainly worth it all. . We set up a small none profit charitable organisation, back in 2009, Our cause It is not about money only donated items but of course we are not able to pay the transport costs fr the lorry to Bulgaria ourselves any more therefore, we have to find a sponsor or raise funds to cover these cost. This year 2015 we have been lucky LWM Consultnts Ltd will sponsor the transport . As you can imagine this is just brilliant!! All we need to do now is fill the lorry with donations so if you can help with anything plese let us know. Thanks a million. Berni &
Dougie xx
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

willowsend wrote:

Berni posted, plus it won the best home and managed orphanage in Bulgaria  

But, and a big but, they could not have done it without you. Altogether you made a wonderful team  and well done

I you Willow yes indeed without ALL OF US include you......

Well here we are again another great success.  We have collected 27 pallets of goods to include 5 pallets of new linen and all within the 3 months so effectively we have fitted 12 months work into 3 months amazing eh!!  I am very proud of us and our community followers, sponsors friends and family who have rallied round to support us again this year.  They all did fantastic.  will try to put the picture of the load the top two racks waiting at PC Howard Ltd for us to go and load on 24th April.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Brilliant Bernie and great pics to well done to you all

God woman don't you ever stop for a break Serously Berni you are an inspiration to all of us and so are all your helpers

You are fantastic as well Berni you seems to get better as time goes by what I mean is you crammed a years of work into just 3 months  I have trouble getting through the day so tell me what are you on? Great to read this and keep it up you are making so many so happy.

Excellent and what a Testimony to you

oddball wrote:

Well here we are again another great success.  We have collected 27 pallets of goods to include 5 pallets of new linen and all within the 3 months so effectively we have fitted 12 months work into 3 months amazing eh!!  I am very proud of us and our community followers, sponsors friends and family who have rallied round to support us again this year.  They all did fantastic.  will try to put the picture of the load the top two racks waiting at PC Howard Ltd for us to go and load on 24th April.

Well done Dougie and Bernie, what a fantastic job you are doing.

Ah  bless tanks guys for your lovely comments appreciate that very much indeed

Here we are at our sponsors PC Howard Ltd Kingscliffe loading the 40ft container for the orphanages, disability centres, hospital, church and various villages in Bulgaria. This is 12 months work fitted into 3 months so we have not stopped since we go home in Feb Dougie and I sort, pack, label and palled every items ourselves. Thanks to everyone who has donated to us this year you are all just fantastic we could not do this without you guys. Tee Kay Packaging supply all our boxes and this year we have LWM Consultants Ltd Bristol are sponsoring the transport. Well done to PC Howard and all the staff who help us today and througout the last 4 years you have all done fab!!! The ET was also there so look out for the article. Berni & Dougie Thank you all xx

You 2 are a shining example to all of us well done and keep it up

cowshed-sarah wrote:

You 2 are a shining example to all of us well done and keep it up

Couldn't have put it better well done guys.

Well done Gal

Here is a quick updated for 2015.

We made the delivery of over 10 ton of goods to Bulgaria but this time all the goods were delivered to our community hall in Bulgarika.  The mayor gave us permission to use the hall which was a blessing to us for storage.  All our friends in the village and the mayor help us unload the goods. Then we sorted them into organisations over the next few days. Then we invited everyone organizations to come and pick up the goods. TV and media were there too but we did not get to see any of it unfortunately, but it is in the system and someone somewhere will find a copy of the film or newspaper and send it to us in due course. Within a few days we were visiting organizations to open the boxes and share the goods it is all on our facebook pages.  The only people that did not take the goods were the church, they came asked what was in the boxes if new or old than said they would pick up next week but a month down the line they did not pick up - it appears they contacted the mayor direct and asked could they leave the good for 6 weeks, this annoyed me as it had nothing to do with the mayor in the first place - so I send them a message to say the goods had to be moved but a week Saturday otherwise I will distribute to other worthy causes.  Sat and Sunday came an no trace of them so Monday I contacted a friend who contacted the village mayor and Jilfond and they all arrived on Tuesday to pick up the 60 odd boxes of stuff allocated for the church.  We kept back 8 boxes. We todl the church the boxes had gone and they made arrangements to pick the remaining one up the next day.  Guess they are off our list from now on.

Everyone was deligted with the items so many people beneifited from the extra boxes it was amazing to see so many happy children and adults.  All our own organizations orphanges, disability centre were well pleased with everything.  They orphanages now seem to have everything they need but I suppose the way the social services are changing things now clothes, shoes, underwear coats will always be needed.  

Big changes for next year as Social Services are opening small homes for orphans and eventually the bigger ones will fade out.  We now have 3 such homes in Silsitra and it appears the baby orphanages will no longer be as this will now be a day centre many of the babies have been adopted/fostered or moved to different areas. So many changes, but thankfully they have decided to keep the children in the Dimcho now as S/S wanted to moved them to the old people's home outside of Silistra and the old people into the Dimcho. But after long talks all is well again.

Lorry arriving in the village
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Some of the items in the hall ready for collection
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

More of the items ready for collection
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]