Home Safe

Hi Guys, we have all returned home safely. Thanks for all the comments and support. Here are a few more pictures of beach training to keep you going until I update the club site. Ross

Wednesday 22 August

Hi,
Cliff Mike and Matt here with another update for you guys at home.

The trip has been a real success so far, we are getting great feedback from the Chief down. The guys are very enthusiastic, just wish they could swim, we have managed to get them to 100m from 10m, although Cliff and Mike both had to rescue a couple of them again today. Also, one had hypothermia, even though it is like bath water here. They complained that it was too cold, so we explained that the day before we were boiling so 'get on with it'!

We have seen their confidence grow along with their skills. Cliff had a meeting with the Chief and he is very interested in creating a life saving club to twin with Whitmore Bay along with developing life saving in Gambia.

We are training for over 2 hrs on the beach in the morning, 1.5 hrs theory in the class followed by 2 hrs in the pool - that is tirng!

I am sure we will be back in the future. We have toured around, it has been a real eye opener, lots of poverty, the average wage being 10 pound per week. We are trying to improve the life saving but it is difficult to witness the povery here.

Hi all from mikee!! :-)

Well folks i am running out of internet time and we are starving so i'll keep it brief as i think cliffy has probably said most of it!

Its really hot, long days, beach then classroom then pool training nearly every day. So we are tired but they are shattered ha ha One guy had hypothermia yesterday, its like bathwater here and we could probably stay in the water for three days without problems, he didn't go pale/blue but had all the other classic hypothermia symptoms!! Sorry davo i thought we would have more regular info for you guys back home! Dotty its a real eye opener but a fantastic and rewarding experience which i'm sure we will be repeating here again and again!! Hi caro, miss you bebe, read your email - for your eyes only he he :-) Time up read other blogs Bye from mikee x

Training Pictures

Pool Training at BB Hotel

Training Room at Bakau Fire Station

Rescue Tube Training

Quick update

hi all,

Just a very quick update: It has been difficult to find time to use the internet and today, we tried to upload photos documenting our trip here and lost everything. Now, we are absolutely starving so going to try again tomorrow.

All having a great time, being treated really well. Over 20 firemen met us at the airport and escorted us straight through customs. We have two 4 wheel drive trucks assigned for our use and two drivers, it is cool! Oh yeah, got invited to meet the Minister of the Interior the second day we were here, so they are taking our trip very seriously. I hope that they think we are worth it!!!

Start teaching on the beach at 9.30 to 12, a lesson in the classroom followed by practical in the swimming pool. It is really hot, so we are all shattered by the end of the day. The guys we are teaching are amazing, just wish they could swim. I had to rescue one today and Mike also pulled one in, but they are very keen.

The culture is much different to home and some of the quotes are fab. The Assistant Chief Fire Officer said 'he thought he should go in for one', he was referring to a wife. We are keeping up with them, Little Ross asked if they spoke Ali Baba in the Gambia and Matt thought Ali Baba was an Irish Bar.

Well gotta go for some food,

umphbuggaahphh (goodbye in Ali Baba)

Cliff.

Airport

Hi folks mikee here, saying hi from the airport departure lounge!! Speak to you next in Gambia :-) P.S. Little Ross thinks we are being picked up by a fire engine, its his best line yet!!

Ready To Go

After 7 months of planning, fundraising and scavenging equipment the team is finally ready to go. All the gear is packed and weighed. We are leaving Barry at 1am Tuesday Morning for the road trip to Gatwick Airport, before a 6 hour flight to Banjul.

We are taking out 3 rescue boards, 7 rescue tubes, 4 resuscitation training dolls, 5 resuscitation masks, 10 first aid patrol bags and contents, 3 complete first aid kits, 4 training manuals, teaching notes, 200 RLSS caps and 100+ pens. All to be donated to the newly trained lifeguards and school children.

The Project Details

Details on The Gambia Water Safety Project can be found on our club website at www.whitmorebayslsc.co.uk

This blog will be used to keep all our friends, family and supporters in the UK up-to-date with events in The Gambia and can be updated by any of the 6 team members:

Cliff, Mike, Bri, Ross, Ross and Mat

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