Yes, sorry and all that - well, actually I'm not a bit sorry! - but I'm back rattling my collecting tin again on behalf of Mercy Ships. This charity operates a floating hospital ship mostly along the West African coast. When news spreads that the Mercy Ship is on its way, Africans carry their ailing relatives for days across country in order to be part of the enormous queue which forms on the quayside. I always say this but it is worth repeating - indeed, it is worth hollerin' from the rooftops - everybody on board the Mercy Ship, from the top surgeons down to the young lads and lasses who work in the kitchens, all of them, are unpaid volunteers! If you want to know what they do, here's one of them telling it in her own words:
A Galley Worker's View:
Biological Sciences graduate Lizzie Clegg (21) has recently returned from volunteering onboard the world’s largest hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, in Guinea. Lizzie has been onboard the Africa Mercy for over three months and has been volunteering in the ship’s galley cooking for around 400 people every day, as well as assisting the eye team in her spare time. Lizzie said, “I want to be a doctor and as the applications are so competitive it is really important to have some experience working with patients. I wanted to do something where I could actually help people. Mercy Ships provided a perfect opportunity to do that. I would work in the galley and support everyone onboard that way and then on my days off work with the patients. “I had so many amazing experiences on board. I really enjoyed going to the Hope Centre and playing with the children. The Hope Centre is a Mercy Ships funded project where they support local hospitals. This year part of the programme was to upgrade a wing of the Ignace Deen Hospital in Conakry, this means the hospital will be left with upgraded facilities when the ship leaves in the summer.
Once again this year a generous donor has offered to double any contributions made before Christmas, so please, just click on this link and it will tell you of several different ways to send a few quid - or bucks! - to the most cost effective charity of them all:
http://www.mercyships.org.uk/give-money
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