Betts Recruitment Ltd

 A Day at St. Theresa Children’s Home

Phillip and members of the Church Youth Group he is involved in spent one day in June 2010 at St. Theresa Children’s Home, located in the suburbs of Nairobi.

They cater for the needs of physically and mentally handicapped girls and this visit was one of the many out-reach events on the Youth Group’s calendar.

The Youth Group had earlier appealed for donations of foodstuff and clothing from their Church Congregation and, together with their own collection of clothes and food, everyone’s contributions were well received at the home.

Although a loving and caring environment, the home wasn’t an easy place to visit.  Only five members of the Group had been there before, so they knew how emotional it would feel.

When Phillip and his friends arrived, the girls were having their breakfast and quite a few members of the Group were shocked and confused at what they saw – not knowing what to do or how they could help.

After a short tour of the home by the administrator, they finally mastered the courage to help the girls finish their meal.

The happiness in the girls’ radiant faces was clear, as everyone began to settle in and talk together.  Although, some could not respond, their facial expressions conveyed just how happy they were to see everyone. 

After breakfast the Group helped with the cleaning up and then spent more time interacting and amusing everyone.

They took some time off to have lunch; to share and discuss their experiences.  By splitting up into small groups, the Youth Group Members could talk about how humbling it was to see the love and happiness radiated by the girls. It helped them to understand their good fortune in life and to also understand how others need help.

The afternoon became more enriching with that understanding in place so everyone helped out with jobs around the Home such as laundry, cutting firewood, cleaning the compound and preparing beds – spending time with the girls throughout the day.

To round off a busy day, they took a few minutes to ride swings and play on the seesaws.

It was really hard to say good bye as the Group prepared to leave - having created a bond with the girls in the few hours that everyone spent together.

Their donations were handed over to the Administrators who had been so welcoming and everyone returned home, confident that they had touched the girls’ hearts.

Everyone looks forward to returning and to spending more time with all the girls in the future!

A Traditional, Olde English Wedding Celebration - May 2010

Fiona and Carol celebrated the wedding of their friends, Steve and Sue this month. The Bride and Groom met at one of the music events organised by Carol’s husband, so the whole day was enjoyed by our large circle of friends.

Sue wanted an Olde English service; one that would have been celebrated before Christianity reached the UK, in a time of Ancient English Folklore which combined the traditions of Celtic and Pagan times.  Her dress and the theme for their Handfasting was the world of Fairies and Woodland Folk and many of the guests dressed in traditional costumes, with fairy wings sprouting from the shoulders of the ladies!

Fiona volunteered to cater for their Wedding Reception and, keeping the Bride and Grooms wishes in mind, she designed the buffet to reflect the food that would be available 1,000 years ago, so everyone enjoyed Roast Beef, Turkey and Pork, with a whole Scottish Salmon, Game Pie and English Cheeses, all accompanied by salads, pickles and baskets of freshly baked breads.

The Wedding Cake was made especially for Steve and Sue, to reflect the world of fairies and they included a Wishes Tree, where guests could write and tie their messages of good luck to the branches.  Steve and Sue have planted the tree in their garden, as a reminder of their wonderful day with family and friends.

Snowy England - January 2010

The UK is covered in a blanket of snow this month and as Fiona has taken a few casual shots of her garden, we thought you would like to see how beautiful the Heart of England is looking right now.

The Proms Come to Northamptonshire!

Fiona enjoyed an end of summer Promenade Concert, as the Town Mayor organised a charity evening to raise funds for our local Air Ambulance Service this September.

Held in the grounds of Rushden Hall, in our neighbouring town, we enjoyed a night of popular classics, all played by Rushden Windmill Brass Band
http://www.rushdenwindmillband.com/rwbsi.htm

The weather was very mild, but we’ve learnt in this country that once the sun goes down in autumn, the coats, hats and blankets have to come out, so there was a sea of wrapped up people spread all over the park after sunset, most enjoying champagne picnics!

All the usual classical favourites were played and we enjoyed a very special performance from ‘El Gringo’ (one of the Band members, amusingly  dressed up as a Mexican Cornet soloist – and very good he was too!).

Three soloists joined the Band for the final, rousing songs of the evening and we were all given Union Jack flags to wave as ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ ended the night.

Mayor Gill Mercer (who kindly supplied the photos from the evening) arranged the event to raise funds for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.

They’re operated as a charity, without any Government funding and welcome lots of opportunities to publicise their service and raise money.

Our Proms in Park netted UK£1,000 towards their running costs for the next year.

The Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance provides an emergency medical service for the heart of England, taking the hospital to the patient and getting senior doctors and consultants to the scene of incidents, as quickly as possible.

If you’d like to learn more about their work, please link to their site at www.wnaa.co.uk

WNAA will hold their 7th Annual Rescue Run in Northamptonshire on 5 September 2010 and they need a main sponsor for the event. 

If you can put them in touch with someone who can find just UK£1,500 to support them, please contact Tracy Grunwell, Regional Fundraising Manager, WNAA on +44 782 5634103, or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it