PAINTING, crafts and ice cream were the topics of the day as we look back at what members of this year’s Project Gambia trip were up to.

The day 3 update from the group, who are out experiencing life in Africa, comes from Steve Hudson, headteacher of Church of the Ascension Primary School, in Kingswinford, and Project Gambia volunteer.

“The weather today took a turn for the warmer as the wind dropped and the sun shone ever more brightly. In the morning we all went to the New Life School at Kanifing to experience the Gambian school system.

“The students worked with the three nursery classes to do a wide range of crafty activities which included making crowns that were fit for a king and bringing Mrs Bridgewater’s Chinese lanterns into life. The face painting team produced a splendid variety of designs of which the rainbow seemed to be the most popular.

“Special mentions need to be made to Mr Nutting and Mr Hodt for their sterling work on security, thus ensuring that only the nursery pupils benefitted from this…..at least whilst they remained in post!

“Ridgewood students really enjoyed this experience, although the three and four year olds that they were working with had – understandably – very limited English which made communication a little difficult. Mr Hudson’s group had to entertain their class with a rendition of “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”. Chris Thomas particularly excelled at this.

“In the afternoon, Mr Nutting led a group of sign writers to continue the work at the New Life Health Centre.

“There are now clear instructions to “Keep Clean and Stay Healthy” written on the walls which were whitewashed by the students yesterday. It was wonderful to see how quickly the centre is coming together as the wards are sparkling clean and ready for the first patients.

“The rest of the students painted a classroom at Kanifing, most of the paint went on the walls although the floor, furniture and students also experienced the joys of Gambian whitewash.There was also an interesting moment when some of the students were touching up murals that had been painted in previous years.

“Some of the Gambian pupils were still hanging around and decided to help themselves to the acrylic paint we were using and paint their faces with it! We can only hope they can remove it before school tomorrow morning!

“The day’s activities concluded with a trip to the ice cream parlour which was a great hit amongst the staff and pupils. Miss Broadhead was devastated to discover that they’d run out of chocolate ice cream by the time she got to the front of the queue. The strawberry flavoured one almost managed to put the smile on her face…..almost.”

Looking ahead to today and this morning the group will be taking a visit to Half Dye School for the first time to see the ongoing building work while helping out with activities in their temporary classrooms.

This afternoon they will be visiting the family of Muhammed – a friend of the projects – where they will tour his compound before heading out to learn how to do Batik – a form of cloth dyeing.

Each day the project is out in the Gambia, a members of Project Gambia will write their own blog post detailing their own thoughts and experiences.

Blog posts and daily information on the trip will be available on both the Stourbridge News website and at projectgambia.org.uk.

The Stourbridge News has also joined forces with Project Gambia to help raise money to buy and install a water pump at the farm in the Gambian village of Sintet.

Our Well of Life appeal needs to raise £10,000 to fund the pump and irrigation system to serve drought-stricken farming land.

Members of Project Gambia will be visiting Sintet this week where they will see the location of the impending installation of the much needed pump.

To make a donation now visit www.justgiving.com/welloflifeappeal/ or text PROG15 and your amount, either £10, £5, £4, £3, £2, £1, to 70070.

People can also donate cash or cheques in person at the Stourbridge News offices, at St John’s House, St John’s Road, Stourbridge.

Cheques need to be made payable to Project Gambia Trust Ridgewood, and you’ll need to write Well off Life Appeal on the back.

If you are carrying out an event to help raise funds for the Well of Life Appeal please call our reporter Dan Sharp on 01384 358223, or email dan.sharp@stourbridgenews.co.uk with details.