John and Kay joined as members in February 2001. they had been to Gambia before and met a Reverend Jackson who had taken them to his school in Banjul and explained how he wanted to build a school in Essau on the North bank of the river.

It soon became clear that we would all be in Gambia during March 2001 so we would probably meet up. We hoped to visit Essau but our journey was delayed 5 hours because one of the ferries at banjul was out of order.

John and Kay along with their family have run fund raising events to raise money towards the Rev Jackson's enterprise. I had the pleasure of meeting hom early on a Sunday moning. He not only runs the schools in Banjul and Essau, he also hosts two christian music shows on a Sunday and Kay was his guest on these shows to talk about the Brownies troup she runs in the UK.

The Banjul school is wonderful, probably the best I have seen anywhere in the Gambia, the place is alive with activity, the walls are a visual treat, ther are games and books and childrens work every where. This looked like a very popular nursery school and I was not surprised.

John and Kay have now registered their activity as a UK charity.
No: 1086332

They run regular events where they live, usually with the help of their brother and sister in law.

If a school like this can be built in Essau the whole community will be better off, I was buzzing with the

You can contact John or Kay by email: John.D.Skingsley@tesco.net
or write to them at:
6 Redwoods Way East
Letchworth
Hertfordshire SG6 4DF

We wish them every success with their fund raising and value them enormously as active GTS members.