Wednesday 8 July

A hectic day all round... First stop was the Village School where we were all able to meet with the Principal. We agreed to fund those children who weren’t able to afford a trip up country on a school outing next weekend. We also secured support from the school for the idea for an annual prize for the child that achieves the best attendance record in memory of Della and Don’s good friend, Sareth.

Next up was confirmation over the sports and games day to be held next Tuesday. Saul and Caroline gained agreement to come into school over the next few weeks to provide additional English lessons and they started in earnest later that morning. Finally, the Principal was delighted with the proposal to fund musical instruments for the school band in memory of Don’s brother, Declan, who himself was an accomplished musician. A number of people had donated money as a gift for Don’s birthday and he was sure that Declan would have wanted nothing more than giving poor children, who would never normally have the opportunity, to play music. Very kindly, the Principal agreed that it would be fitting for the children to paint a picture in the “music room” which would also bear a plaque acknowledging Declan’s legacy.

Once the formal discussions were over, Steve and Gav set to work with one of the classes of 13 year olds where we managed to cover English, Geography and Maths as well as lots of laughs. What they lacked in ability was more than made up for in enthusiasm and willingness to learn. It’s a tragedy that there is currently no English teacher. Meanwhile, Saul and Caroline got on with their group outside ably assisted by 4 year old Jacob.

Later, we headed off in search of a music shop on the main Colombo road to kick off the process of buying instruments to get the school started.

PS – No more updates until the weekend as we’re heading up country for a break and to celebrate Steve’s (Della’s son) birthday. Thanks to those who have kindly donated in lieu... check out www.friendsofdellaanddon.com if you’d like to help us carry on the work!

Tuesday 7 July

This morning we were collected early and headed off to the Girls’ orphanage on the outskirts of Colombo. This is a project which has been supported for just over 4 years and where we provide English tutoring, non-academic studies such as sewing and dress-making and of course the occasional day out! The girls were delighted to see us again and welcomed us with a performance of their recently formed band. Given the fact that they had only started within the past month, their ability was astonishing.

Inside, we met with the Head Mistress and members of the Governing committee and were treated to a number of songs, dances and recitals by the orphans. Given the tragic circumstances that many of the girls have experienced to end up in the orphanage, it is a credit to the love and care from the staff that the girls are so seemingly happy, continually smiling and very well educated.

Many supporters of the Project sponsor the children on an individual basis; the only additional thing they sought our help with is to fund a music teacher for 2 hours a week costing $20 per month. This may seem a very small sum to us but the amount of joy it will bring, is immeasurable.

Della also took the opportunity to handover letters from pen friends at the Perse School in Cambridge who have been such strong supporters of the girls.

The visit was really uplifting and our thanks go to all those who have and continue to contribute towards the education and well-being of the girls.

Monday 6th July

Today is a Poya day which marks the New Moon and is a significant event for Buddhists. As a result, all shops, schools and business are closed for the day making things tricky to do anything on the ground. So all attention turned to the beach cricket match we had arranged with the villagers. Lords may have hosted the recent Twenty-Twenty World Cup but Ratmalana was hosting its very own Ten-ty Ten-ty cricket match. And there was a score to be settled too, as Udaya and his team which included Don, narrowly beat Steve and Gav’s team in the inaugural match on New Year’s Day.




The earlier heavy rain had given way to overcast skies but the pitch (sand) was looking in good condition, as many from the village had cleared the beach of debris. We mustered 9 a-side with a good mix of ages and abilities; Steve and Udaya captained and a crowd began to gather.

To be honest, neither captain delivered an outstanding performance and instead, honours go to Saul on his debut, who made a fantastic catch in the slips, and to Gav who manfully ended his innings “not out” having run like a greyhound, churning up the “pitch” before the opposition batted!


In the end, Steve’s team secured a momentous victory by 40 runs and took the trophy which was officially presented to the winning team by Della. We hope to have a re-match on our next visit.

All in all a lot of fun but also a great lesson in how a simple sports game can bring people together despite their religion, caste and nationality.

After the match two other issues arose; in a similar way that seven-month old Sophie attracts the attentions of all the locals wherever she goes, Della became a beacon for every mosquito in the area and got bitten over 30 times causing much irritation, literally. The other problem concerns the status of the shipment of donated items sent from the UK which now appear to be stuck at Colombo customs. Tony and his team at Macmillan back home have been making numerous calls to try and free the consignment but so far to no avail. Hopefully, we’ll make some progress soon as we’re keen to get the contents to the people who need them as quickly as possible.

Sunday 5th July

A day with a difference... no formal appointments so apart from walk around the local market – an assault on the senses if ever there was one – we spent the day relaxing.