Collecting items in Luton to take to Africa

[ashhen]

Hi everyone, I"m on the scrounge, pure and simple. I head to Tanzania in March and would very much like to take a suitcase full to the brim with old mobile phones, football shirts, glasses and digital cameras. These tend to be things which become obsolete in the UK and they take up valuable drawer space.

Phones are very useful in Africa as distances are vast. I mainly operate with the blind and it makes life so much simpler when all the different communities are easy to contact. Ideal phones are Nokias as they are simple enough to unlock and to use.

Digital cameras enable individuals to start small photographic businesses. They won"t get rich, but it"ll supplement what they get from their crops.

Football shirts are not in any way essential - but they are lightweight, easy to pack, and they bring a huge amount of pleasure to the recipients.

Glasses are in great demand over there, although collecting these is less important as I can get them in bulk from a pound shop before I fly.

This will be my 7th trip to the same village and I have documented my more recent visits on my site: www.tomintanzania.com There you can see various items being distributed which I"ve been handed in the past. A few years ago I put a similar request on these forums and a couple of people kindly gave me some glasses and phones.

I"ll be in Luton this weekend. My name is Tom Feilding and I"m playing for the Gambling Network Forum team and will start on Table 11 Seat 5. If you can"t find me then any of my team members can filter things along to me.

Thanks!

[HOLDorFOLD]

I have things for you.   Old mobiles (possibly 4), a digi camera, a few Man U child size shirts and possibly some old glasses!

The camera is practically new ... but for some reason I cannot get it to start?  I"ll bring it anyway and let you take a look.

Anything else you need?  

Mich

[ashhen]

Hey Mich, that"s fantastic, thanks. Those are all the things I am looking for. I take out a bunch of other things like white sticks, wind up radios and batteries... but these aren"t the types of things people have lying around. Here is my haul from last year:

[fandango]

Hi Tom will get the Missus to trawl through the draws I"m sure we can come up with something..

See you at the weekend.

[karrde]

Im copying this message on our forum.  I hope you get five cases full  

[ashhen]

Thanks guys!

[suzanne]

If I were to say on here what I think of Tom he would probably be embarrassed...so I will say it anyway

I know he has put a LOT of hard work into making this village and its surrounding areas a better place for blind children and adults for many years. He does it quietly, without fuss and finances a lot of it himself.

No disrespect to other charities but I like the idea that I am giving items that will be put directly into the hands of people who will appreciate them.

Please support Tom in his quest.

PS I held back .....request for charity game to come soon x

[avongirl]

What are the yellow topped bottles at the back? (in case they are the sort of thing I might have supplies of   )

[ashhen]

What are the yellow topped bottles at the back? (in case they are the sort of thing I might have supplies of   )

They are bottles of factor 50 suncream. There are quite a number of albinos there and the sun destroys their skin. I buy supermarket own brand cream and it is only about £3 a bottle.

[avongirl]

I thought that might be what they were.  I have a few bottles spare (not all SPF50) so will bring them in case they are suitable for you.

[ashhen]

Thanks to all who tracked me down over the weekend, it was good meeting everyone. I gathered quite a haul of stuff. I"ll be updating my site when I am away, so you can see your items being distributed.