Simon worked with his father David, for The And Albert Foundation, a registered charity (no. 1072068) based in Beverley, East Yorkshire set up to create long term ethical trade with villages in the developing world. The charity is also involved in community healthcare, sustainable development and fresh water well projects. Simon visited the project sites in January 2005 and was touched by what he experienced, pledging to help make a difference upon his return. Since his untimely death, in March 2005, many of Simon's friends and family have become involved in supporting the work in West Africa that Simon was so passionate about.

The map below shows the Project sites which he visited on his trip. Just click on the place names to find out about each location.

Click here to see some pictures of Simon's trip to Ghana and Burkina Faso.

Simon visited the project sites in Ghana and Burkina Faso, along with his colleague Tony, his father David, and Julie & Sarah who look after our "global village" fair trade site at the Van Hage garden centre in Herts. They travelled extensively, from Accra in the South of Ghana into the remote Northern villages and then onto Ouagadougou and Zagtouli in Burkina Faso.

Julie and Sarah, apart from promoting our African products for the past two years, are now actively involved in raising funds for one of our projects making school uniforms for the kids who can't afford them, thus stopping their chance for an education. Recently from family and friends they have collected over £500 already which allows our workshops to produce over 250 school uniforms. Along with us they are also collecting a huge mix of useful products for us to send out to West Africa. These include sewing machines, bicycles, medical items, school books, computers, mobile phones, tools and agricultural implements.

Singha village in the dry season, the last village on the old slave track from the North before the White Volta river. Our strategies to help now and in the future include clean water, education healthcare, building a ferry to the nearest village across the Volta, Nawuni, opening trading roots up and down the river (there are over 100 villages in both directions within 70 miles), providing and equipping a mobile clinicinto this remote area - average income, less than $1 Per Week! Simon's main aim on returning from Africa was to earn enough to put in a clean water borehole and pump. The collection at his funeral came to £1800 (Half the cost). With further donations since the funeral we raised £3200 towards the total cost of £3800, the full ammount of which has now been sent out to complete the job.

Nice One, Simon!

Left: A few of the Singha kids that Simon met in February and whose clean water project will help all their futures! and
Right: Our first ferry being built during Simon's visit (January 2005),now working! Another boat is to be built as a "bolt-on" which will allow a big enough platform for a mobile clinic to cross the river and visit this remote area.

Meeting the elders under the shade of the Baobab tree

Any project we undertake depends on growing, long term relationships which engender trust and long term solutions to a complex network of problems. The generation of ideas we hope will lead to self sufficiency are nottherefore based on a Western "charity" or "aid" model. It was the sparking of ideas from these relationships which Simon saw as the way forward for all ourfutures. All monies generated will be spent wisely with ongoing evidence to illustrate this long term developmental model.

Simon in Logshegu village, near Tamale with the football team he
played with in the evenings.

Project Donations from fundraising by Simon's Family and Friends have contributed towards:

• Fresh Water wells built in Kumasi, Kyekyewere, Zagtouli, Puyango, Singha giving hundreds of people access to clean drinking water, and avoiding medical problems such as river blindness and guinea worm.

• School Uniforms been purchased, giving children the chance to gain an education that they otherwise might not have.

• The construction of a ferry to traverse the White Volta, giving access to inter village trade along the Volta and in the future, a vehicle that will take medical relief landrovers and mobile clinics across the river to the remote villages beyond.

• The cost of a container of recycled western throw-away society goods, such as sewing machines, pens and paper, computers, tools, medical equipment...and more, shortly to be sent out to Ghana and Burkina Faso giving people access to useful tools for educational and/or small macroenterprise workshop development.

• Helped to rejuvenate and redecorate the village school at Logshegu in North Ghana, giving the children a more friendlier and fun environment for their schooling.

How can I make a difference? How can I help?

Guaranteed Principle : The Foundation works on the principle of ALL donated monies going directly to help the village projects amongst the very poorest and most vulnerable people. There is nothing deducted for administrative expenses. Trading Roots sales, both wholesale and retail, allow sufficient profit to cover all Foundation expenses and also return a further significant percentage back to the grass-roots development projects.

This model works in practice - you are welcome to come and look!

We will be listing in finer detail many of the projects in West Africa which had particularly inspired Simon.

If you would like to make a donation to the And Albert Foundation then click the paypal button below and help to continue the work which inspired Simon.

You can also send cheque or Gift Aid, made payable to And Albert Foundation to Palmers Field, Hull Road, Woodmansey, East Yorkshire HU17 0TA

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