Some of you may know of this project fund but most will have never heard of it. The project fund was set up and is administered by Maurice Deighton, the owner of the Seal Shore Campsite on the Isle of Arran and good friend of SDWS. Without Maurice’s kindness and co-operation we would not enjoy the facility of being able to set up a full IOTA contest station each July on the Isle of Arran. At the end of July, we invade his campsite for a four day period, put up a variety on antennas on his beach and take over his private “Man Room” at the rear of his workshop! ALL OF THIS IS AT NO EXTRA COST over the standard camp site fees!
Maurice, a Yorkshireman, is a really nice bloke and is caring enough to feel concerned about the plight of children in West Africa. Some years ago he set up his schools trust and set about building a school in the Gambia and helping to renovate others. He spends many weeks each year there, over the winter season in Scotland when his campsite is closed.
http://www.campingarran.com/gambia-project.html
Over the years that some of us have been going to Arran for the IOTA Contest (both in our former roles at SARC and these days at SDWS) we have tried to make a substantial donation to Maurice’s excellent fund, as a way of saying thank you for his help over the IOTA weekend and in some small way compensate him for the use of the warm radio room during out stay. Last year those of us on Arran had a “whip round” and, with the addition of a small sum from club funds, were able to give £150 to Maurice’s project fund.
This year we would like to increase the amount of our donation….maybe to £200. The Arran contest team will still dig into their pockets this coming weekend and we will top up the amount with something from club funds if possible. However we would like to extend, to all SDWS members, the opportunity of helping Maurice and, at the same time, foster good relations between him and SDWS.
If you feel able to help please let us know. We can collect small donations at club meetings (please give your donation to any committee member, esp. Krystyna, Graham G3YJR or myself). Alternatively you could donate by post. G3PHO, SDWS Secretary, is OK in QRZ.com. Our Chairperson, Krystyna 2E0KSH, has offered to set up a Paypal account especially for this. As a first measure, please indicate your interest with comments to this post.
If successful this year, we could even consider SDWS sponsoring the project on an annual basis but that would only be done after full member consultation and approval. We are not talking large individual sums here …. you give what you can afford.
Although I know of no one who has done so, I’m certain individual SDWS members would find Maurice most accommodating when approached for permission to set up a camping holiday style portable radio station. Just tell him you are member of SDWS!