Arthur

Hi,

I am Arthur. My daughter Kerry and I are members of the group looking forward to our visit to Chipembi Girls boarding school in March 2009. The girls and teachers are very much part of our lives. My older son Craig has been out to the school twice before. He spent 3 months there during his gap year helping with keyboard skills when he left school 5 years ago. Craig is back in Africa at present spending a year with the VSO in south west Uganda helping fund raise with a small charity looking after disadvantaged young people.

I will be helping with the refurbishment of one of the dormitorys. I will help with the simple tasks and in fetching and carrying, and some planning & organising. As I have worked for the Standard Life Assurance Company these past 35 years since leaving school my skills are not in constructing or building. However if any of the teachers (or senior pupils) need help in starting a pension plan and planning their retirement then I can add lots of value here.

My other son Ross has not been out to Zambia. He has however spent time with the pupils and teachers when they have visited Leith over the past 6 or 7 years. My wife sadly passed away some 9 years ago due to breast cancer.

I have just recently entered early middle age. I will work with Standard Life for another few years before I embark on the next part of my life. I am just beginning to think about this. I may do a mixture of paid and voluntary work.

I do spend lots of my time working for the Leith community. I am an active member of The Boys' Brigade. I am also active within South Leith Parish church. I used to be an active member of Bank Villa amateur football club as a silky left back (some would say more crude than silky) through the 70s, 80s and first half of the 90s. Nowadays I sit in the West stand at Easter Road and watch Hibs and their silky skills.

I enjoy collecting things, and joining groups and clubs. I have a mean collection of die cast model cars (old Dinkies). I like to support local Leith organisations and institutions. I do also support Edinburgh activities and events.

During my previous visit to the school I spent some time with the Boys' Brigade company attached to the local church. It was quite something to be made welcome and join straight in with their activities.

I am so looking forward to actually being on site with the pupils and teachers.