This second part of the review of 2019 covers the sponsored walk, football shirts, promise of donation to fundraising campaign, sports at Pakati and profiles from Pakati people.
The planned sponsored walk between Bradford City football ground and Scunthorpe United football ground took place in late April over 3 days, in the lead up to the match between the two clubs. The participants were the author, his son Daniel along with girlfriend Alice for all 3 days, and Scunthorpe fan Brian plus Bradford fan Karen for the final leg into Scunthorpe.
Over the 3 days we travelled around 57 miles/90km, over mostly hilly ground in the early part of the walk, before flattening out in the later stages. Here are a few photos to remind us of what we went through..
After the walk, we had lunch in the club restaurant. After the meal I was interviewed by the club, and was then presented with some match-worn football shirts which turns out were valuable – an unexpected source of further income for the fundraising campaign!
one of several articles published in their matchday programmes
There then followed a number of donations of shirts by fans of the club, both individually and via supporters groups. They were both for sale to raise funds, or to be sent to Pakati for students to use.
The club also gave a number of shirts from the past two seasons, which were to be sent to Pakati schools.
donating shirts to the author before a match at the club
At the end of the meal, before the Scunthorpe versus Bradford game, one last surprise for me – club Chairman Peter Swann came over to congratulate us on the walk, then promptly offered to match whatever we raised by the start of the next season! More on this in the next part of the review….
Whilst this was going on in the UK, life was going on as normal at Pakati – lessons, sports, etc.
For supporters of the project, including former students, the chance to tell their stories also continued. One particular former student of mine gave us three instalments of her personal, inspiring story – Lorraine Mapuranga.
Mr Goororo, Mr Murwira, Mr Chirape – Pakati Secondary school staff, 1989
I found the above picture when helping to clear out my late mother’s things, and it brought back so many good memories of my time as a teacher at Pakati Secondary school, between January 1989 and August 1991. Happy days indeed…
More in part 3 soon, including computer donations, goods being sent, organising the delivery to Zimbabwe, accepting the donation of funds, then, finally in part 4, the actual delivery of goods to Pakati, celebrations, the story of another former teacher from the UK, and discussions of where we go in 2020.
