Gran’s socks appeal

SOCK it to them . . . Yvonne with some of the collected socks

Work colleagues hot foot it to Kenya to help the street children
GRANDMOTHER Yvonne Swindells is taking supplies of socks to street children in Kenya.

Mrs Swindells (57), from Salem, near Lees, will fly to Nakuru to work with youngsters for a month in October with her colleague Cathy McCormick.

The Great Places Housing Group employees are now busy gathering new and nearly-new socks from colleagues to take with them.

It will be the grandmother’s first trip out of Europe.

Mrs Swindells, whose job based in Union Street, Oldham, involves looking after accommodation for medics attached to hospitals, said: “I’ve never done anything like this.
“I love being around children, feeding them, entertaining them. I have several of my 11 grandchildren staying every other weekend and dreaming up ideas for games to keep them amused is one of my favourite things in life.”

It is the fifth time staff from the non-profit-making group have visited the Walk Centre in Nakuru, which provides food and schooling to children who live on a rubbish dump and have little to eat but cabbage and watery porridge.

Socks are scarce and expensive in Nakuru, but can make a big difference for youngsters, who walk long distances in shoes that can be basic and ill-fitting.

Great Places’ link with the Walk Centre, was set up in memory of the group’s founder the Rev John Banks.

Latest work there, funded through Great Places, has included the building of a dining room so that children can eat away from dust and dirt.

Both women underwent a full recruitment process to be chosen, and will take half the month from their own holiday allocation.

They aim to raise £3,000 towards the cost of the trip through a variety of initiatives including collating a cookery book of colleagues’ favourite recipes and organising a swap shop.

Mrs Swindells is cooking up soup for work friends and charging them £2 per bowl, with a breadroll, as well as staging fundraising girls’ nights in for her friends.

Cathy McCormick (32), from Warrington, a customer involvement co-ordinator based in Didsbury, said: “It’s one thing giving money to charity but I really wanted to do something hands-on and to make a real difference.”

To donate good-quality, clean socks suitable for five to 15-year-olds, or donate money, call Yvonne on 0161-484 3203, email Yvonne.swindells@greatplaces.org.uk  

Alternatively, leave donations with the reception staff at MMHA, 119 Union St, Oldham, 0L1 1TE between 9am and 5pm weekdays by September 30.