The Team
– A group of 15 of us spent a week in Sliven, in central Bulgaria, over
October half-term. The team included 7 people from Aldridge and the rest
coming from two churches in Wokingham. Those from Aldridge were Glyn and
Sylvia Barratt, Jessica Copeland (Sally Rice’s niece), Heather Ford,
Elaine Hyde, Sally Rice and Sarah Williams.
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COULD YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING PART OF A TEAM?????
Teams go out regularly during the year to do different tasks including decorating, building etc, for details contact Saltmine Country Managers, Chris and Brian Clarke…..
Or speak to Heather, Sarah or Sally who are hoping to take a team in May 2005!!
Dragodanovo – orphanage and detention centre for 7 to 18 year olds. Many youngsters are sent here by the police or courts for begging, truancy or theft, some are sent here to avoid abusive home life!
 Dradodanovo is a bleak building. Many windows in the school wing do not have glass in them |
 On our last visit we were able to donate funding towards some computers for the school |
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 Dragodanovo’s cooker fuelled by diesel – it no longer works. The kitchens are in desperate need of a re-fit! |
Red Cross School
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funded by the Belgian Red Cross, this school caters for children from the
Gypsy ghetto in Sliven and recently started taking children from
underprivileged Bulgarian families. This is a re-socialisation project to
get these children into mainstream education.
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The children were
proud of their |
Tvarditsa – men's hostel, catering for men from the age of 18 with special needs. This centre has been greatly improved over the last few years, including recent building work, with men being encouraged to take greater responsibility for their own environment and well-being. For many this is will be their home for life!
The Blue House Project – this is fantastic! It is primarily a children’s hospice and medical outreach centre hoping to provide free medical care and advice. Currently it is being totally renovated although some services have already started such as Speech Therapy. It is hoped that it will provide accommodation for ex-residents of Kerman orphanage rather them being sent to institutions such as Tvarditsa.
