Past, Present & Future
Past & present are easy to talk about, but what about the future? How will we continue with our plans? What are our plans for 2022 going to look like? Here is a hint of something coming up this year…see in the section below on our future
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Past
Friends of Pakati was officially launched on Wednesday, 16th January, 2019. This was after around 4 months of research, preparation & setting things up. It conicided with the 30th Anniversary of me stepping into a classroom for the first time as a teacher at Pakati Secondary School.
Since meeting Head Mr Chifaka in 2018, we have had some great moments, including the delivery of our first set of IT & sports equipment…
…all of which went to the schools in September 2019, the scene of an official handover of the goods.
Present
Now, 3 years on from our official launch in 2019, we are looking forward to 2022, our 4th year of operating. It should be a momentous year, as we are presently preparing for a number of things to happen, among them the following:
- Charity registration
- Fundraising events
- Collaboration with VaTonatsa Foundation
- Collecting donated IT & shipping to Zimbabwe
- Overseeing delivery to Pakati
From a recent blog – https://friendsofpakati.com/2022/01/09/generous-gifts-are-always-welcome/ – we have been donated FIFA22 on Play Station 5, and our friend Simon has collected it this week.
With Simon’s help, we should be able to raise some much-needed funds for Friends of Pakati!
Future
Our most important mission this year – 2022 – is to collect the 20 promised computers from the hugely supportive Stephenson Group Ltd of Leeds, and deliver them to Pakati schools, just as we did in 2019. This means we have to add significantly to our funds, so already we are planning at least 2 fundraising events, with the possibility of more to come. For today, I will focus on the first two – one of which is still in the process of being designed, the other is something which Covid 19 prevented from happening in 2020.
First, let me start with the one which is already ‘designed’ so here is the 2022 version of Get ‘TIED UP’ for PAKATI
Already I have the Scunthorpe United Official Supporters Club (SUOSC) Chair, Neal Campbell, on board. He recently told me that “I will back this and help in any way I can.”
The next stage is for me to contact the supporters groups for Bradford City FC, and also both clubs themselves. I have had an interview to be published in the local Bradford newspaper, the T&A, quite soon. I hope therefore to get as large a number of fans of both clubs to wear a tie to the game on 23rd April, & each one to donate £1 to Friends of Pakati. Below is my own example:
The second event is just beginning to be organised. It is planned to be ‘An Evening With…’, and so far, I have someone who has agreed to be involved, and should attract some interest in Scunthorpe. Sir Nic Dakin is the former MP for the Scunthorpe area, who lost his seat in the 2019 General Election.
We are starting to search for a suitable venue, and are putting together other ideas to make the evening a success, to raise funds for us. Some of these may or may not happen, but things such as live music, quiz, raffle, food, merchandise stall – but we will decide these as time goes on. Publicity will be key to get a good number of people. We are looking at late May/June as a likely tine of year for it to happen.
Other News
The Consortium of Zimbabwe Charities of which Friends of Pakati is a member, is gathering new members both UK and Zimbabwe based. Here is one recent post on their facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/105442821920359/posts/125599109904730/ – about one of those newer members. They are currently constructing a new website, details of wbich will be released soon.
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