Projects
Coalition Against Poverty
UN Gold Star
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The concept of of linking Pontypridd with relief and development work overseas goes back over 20 years to the time of the Ethiopia famine. Images of starving and dying children appearing on our TV screens convinced us that we could no longer be passive spectators but had to have a direct, hands on involvement. Furthermore rather than involve just a few keen activists, we were determined to involve every sector of our community of Pontypridd. The following news article appeared in a magazine back in 1985 and gives a feel the buzz that engulfed Pontypridd at that time.
They may not have been watched by billions of viewers but Bob Geldof would be proud of Pontypridd and its all-out efforts for the starving in Ethiopia.
The small market town of Pontypridd in Wales has got the Bob Geldof bug. Like the singer with the Boomtown Rats, Pontypridd Christian Concern (PCC) saw the pictures of untold suffering and starvation in Ethiopia, started raising funds and soon the whole town was behind them. It started in January this year when the 14 member PCC – an interdenominational faith-in-social action group – launched a scheme to push 40,000 leaflets through Pontypridd doors introducing themselves and their aims and asking for donations for Ethiopia. The group, which began in 1980, had been supporting Third World projects for several years. ‘We were amazed when £15,000 came in the first two months2 recalls the Rev Mike Elliott, a member of PCC and curate at St Catherine’s and All Soul’s Church, Pontypridd. They were even more amazed when a local children’s badminton team, who had arranged a tournament to raise money for their own. They were still reeling when a Christian deputy headmistress got the whole on a sponsored knit. Over 1,600 jumpers plus the sponsor money were given to the PCC Ethiopia project. ‘One 75 year old pensioner gave £100 of his life savings,’ said PCC chairman Dewi Hughes, a lecturer at the local polytechnic.
Blunt
While the children of Cwmcarn comprehensive school were knitting away, local hospitals were busy searching out old equipment to be shipped out to the field hospitals in Ethiopia, PCC Member Geoff Lloyds, a junior doctor at East Glamorgan hospital just outside Pontypridd, was the brains behind this project.
Twenty seven year old Geoff saw the amount of unused or outdated equipment lying around the hospital and, on hearing that medical staff in Ethiopian feeding stations were using old hyperdermics until they were too blunt to go through the skin, began collecting bandages, needles, kidney bowls and syringes.
In no time at all other doctors joined hum and they soon had enough unwanted medical supplies to send an ambulance full out to Ethiopia via the relief organisation for Eritrea and Tigre, REST. ‘A second consignment worth £25,000 was sent out in a three ton truck awhile later’ Geoff told Buzz, ‘By then other hospitals in the area had got involved and the idea spread to the neighbouring towns of Cardiff, Newport and Bridgend.’ Between them these hospitals have sent 10,000 needles, 15,000 suture sets, 20,000 syringes and needles, 5,000 anaesthetic, throat tubes, 2 anaesthetic machines and 2 operating tables. Mike Elliott, who formerly worked in the motor industry has been responsible for obtaining and servicing some of the two and tree ton trucks which have taken the goods over to Italy. The Lord Mayor of Pontypridd saw the last consignment off on its long journey. Local travel firms negotiated with Townsend Thoreson and subsequently all ferry crossings for those taking Ethiopia-bound goods to Italy have been free. Pontypridd could have stopped there and been proud of its efforts on behalf of those suffering in Africa. But they didn’t. Not satisfied with sending money and medical equipment they’re now sending people. Mike Elliott went out to the Sudan taking PCC members Dorothy Bird, a midwife, Alan Bayliss, a Baptist minister and Royston Mayberry, an engineer. They spent a month visiting two Sudanese refugee camps for Ethiopians fleeing the fighting in Tigre and Eritrea. ‘As soon as I arrived I saw a child die,’ remembers Mike. ‘But the death rate has slowed down and the aid is getting in and making an impact. Oxfam are setting up water supply systems and thus reducing the incidence of diarrhoea. ‘We met a Tigrean man who told us he couldn’t believe people in the UK were so concerned for his people. He was unable to express his gratitude in words.’ Lalibella camp in Ethiopia was the destination of Geoff Lloyd, ‘I met a team of dedicated nurses out there looking after 11,000 people,’ he told us from his home in Pontypridd. ‘They hadn’t had a doctor there for three months.’ Now seven of Geoff’s doctor colleagues from East Glamorgan hospital have volunteered to take their study leave and holiday to go out to the camp on a rota basis. If the plan goes ahead they hope to supply the camp with a doctor for a whole year just from the Pontypridd area.
Volunteers
'Leek Aid' soon hit the
headlines of the local press and radio and when the Christian relief agency
World Vision heard about it they rang Mike Eliott and asked him to find them
scene nurses for sponsors to take the rest of these volunteers out to Sudan or
Ethiopia. 'We were simply amazed at the way in which the project snowballed.
What's more we're determined it should be a long-term commitment and not just a
one off,' said Mike Elliot, who only got involved with the PCC nine months ago.
Besides the success of the project itself PCC are amazed about a couple of other
very important principles which are of significance for the future. First, the
community involvement. Local fund raising has already been
mentioned but that's
not all. Four local printers now print PCC literature free of charge, a local
truck hire firm lends a tree ton truck for the consignments free of charge,
petrol stations have given petrol for the journeys to Italy, businesses in the
area have given cash to sponsor projects. Even the four who went to the Sudan
were taken to Heathrow by a local taxi firm free of charge and the photos on
this page were developed free by a local photographers when they found out what
they were for.
Co-operation
'We're excited that we've been able to work side-by-side with local residents and business,' said Dewi Hughes.
Jumpers For Joy: Welsh hospital doctor
Geoff Lloyd at Lalibella camp in Ethiopia.
The boys are wearing the jumpers knitted
by Cwmbran school.