We began displaying  Christmas lights in 2002, and the next year starting fundraising, at first for Save the Children. In 2018 we wanted to know exactly what the fundraising was achieving and linked up with a small charity, Water for Africa, and travelled to the Gambia to visit villages that had no water supply. That year the lights raised £12,000, to supply Tiaba Nyass with clean running water. As a result , not only did the hundreds of children and adults have safe drinking water, but they could irrigate their crops and water their livestock. The following year, a further £12,000 supplied a second village, Dobong, with water. Last year, we raised another £12,000 to supply the 500 residents of Kusamai with water. This year, we aim to raise a further £12,000 to supply Sare Gabu Basiru. 3000 live in the community and they have a school with 400 students, but a lack of clean water. It is thrilling that the lights from a Welling house can be the source of health, food and hope for so many. Over the years we have managed to raise over £67,000 from 105, Danson Crescent, thanks to each of you wonderful and generous people who have supported the lights. We are so very grateful. xx

The money will provide a deep bore hole, solar powered water pump, for the village. The solar panels will pump the water continually into tanks raised high above the ground, that will then feed water to strategically placed stand pipes around the village. The villagers will dig the trenches for the piping taking the water to the stand pipes. Your donations will pay for the digging of the bore hole, by Water For Africa Gambian staff, using their drilling rig, the building of the tower to house the water tanks, the water tanks themselves, the water pump, its control unit, the stand pipes and all the piping needed. We will oversee the project ourselves, from start to finish. I visited the Gambian supplier of all the equipment being installed and costed the project. No money is being siphoned off for U.K. salaries or offices. No one in Water For Africa U.K. are paid for their work. It is all voluntary.  The Water For Africa Gambian staff come from, and their families live, in similar villages in which, Water For Africa have previously installed water pumps.  We also intend to remain involved with the villages we assist, to maintain the water pumps and help provide other needed amenities.

 PLEASE HELP US TO RAISE THE NECESSARY AMOUNT SO THAT THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF MORE CHILDREN WILL BE BLESSED WITH THE HEALTH AND LIFE THAT CLEAN WATER BRINGS.

To read about our fundraising from previous years here are the links - you will need to copy and paste them.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jonathan-blake9

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jonathan-blake8