Dear Friend,
The inaugural UNITY FLIGHT OF SOUTH AFRICA of British
Pilot
Robert Vallier's Ufosa Foundation moved on after Port Elizabeth to
Middelburg, which is Community #4.
Middelburg airport was not the easiest to find. But
Robert tracked it down and found it. It has two runways, a backup
one - being overflown by Robert in Ufosa 1
in the picture below (11/29) - and the principal one which can
be seen approximately at rightangles towards the end of the runway...
Robert Vallier flies Ufosa 1 in a low pass over backup runway
(11/29).
The airfields are gravel, and are known to have a problem
with animals, which like to dig holes in the runway.
These have to be repaired regularly, and very kindly the Authorities
got to work to repair them for Robert's arrival. Unfortunately the
workers didn't understand that they had to vacate the runway for a plane
to land...
Workers repairing the main runway
(18/36) had to be persuaded that they now had to vacate the runway before
Robert Vallier with Ufosa 1 could land! The extent of the airport
facilities - one open hangar and shed - can be seen centre. There
were no services, and no fuel.
... and it took several fly-bys before
the workers finally got the message and vacated the runway, allowing Ufosa 1 to land
safely!
First on the agenda was a visit to the selected School,
the Middelland Senior Secondary School.
The entrance to the Middelland Senior
Secondary School.
The Ufosa 1 Team were met by the Principal Mr James Daniels (below,
right). Because of Middelburg's isolated location, the School is
unusual in that it offers many children who live great distances away -
sometimes as much as 30km/18m - the opportunity to sleep at the School and
be Boarders.
Robert Vallier presents Middelland
Senior Secondary School Headmaster Mr James Daniels with the first book of
the Library: 'Soweto', suggested by Minister of Education for the Western
Cape Cameron Dugmore, with English Teacher and Head of Boarders Mr Curt du
Preez-Miles (left) in attendance.
After the presentation to the School of the symbolic First
Book of the Library to be established at the School, Robert and the Team
moved on to consider the other things that the School desperately
needs. High on their list was an upgrading of the washing and
sanitation facilities...
The dreadful state of the communal
(open) washing facilities for the children. The top floor of one of
the two Boarders section of the school had had to be closed down, and was
now condemned for lack of repair.
Robert and the Team were then shown a site that the school
staff had been able to identify among the Community as being a possible
location for the Ufosa Watch Centre - the abuse relief
centre for women and children. The Ufosa Foundation's Watch Centres for abused
Women And
The CHildren are a prime
directive of the organisation.
The proposed site of the Watch Centre at Middelburg.
After collecting all details of the needs of the School,
the Ufosa 1 Team bade farewell to the
Middeland School and moved on to visit the Good Shepherd Hospice...
The Good Shepherd Hospice
building.
... where members of the Staff spent an hour or so
explaining to the Team the details of their work and urgent requirements
just to maintain - let alone expand - their care in the
Community.
At The Good Shepherd Hospice.
The Chairman is back row left, and Sister Kathy (front row
centre) is the one in charge of the Nurses and Voluntary
Carers.
With the formal accepting of the Good Shepherd Hospice
into the Foundation's programme, Robert left for the overnight
accommodation and to prepare for the flight to the next Community - East
London.
The Ufosa
Foundation's inaugural UNITY FLIGHT OF
SOUTH AFRICA launched on 1 October. Our National charity
is reaching out to 30 communities throughout South Africa, with an initial
5-year schedule to bring help in Education, Family Wellbeing and
Health.
Our website can be found at:
www.ufosafoundation.org.
Next news on East London follows very shortly.
Regards,
Admin
|
