My name is Jason Yates, I am 18 and studying biology, chemistry and mathematics at A-level. I aim to go to university in September to study a degree in Paramedic Science, with the view to becoming a paramedic. Through my 7 years at St. Joan’s I have been involved in a lot of wonderful fundraising for Udayan. I couldn’t say no to such a great opportunity to visit Udayan this February to meet the children that we are helping face-to-face. I hope to learn more about how the children live their day-to-day life, what the enjoy doing and ultimately help to teach them and have a great time with them!
My name is Ruth Charlotte Yardy. I am in my first year studying Law with French Law at the University of Birmingham. I joined St Joan of Arc in 2010 and was soon introduced to the school’s link with Udayan – I knew straight away that the link was special and that it would be very important to me. During my time at St Joan’s I was involved in many of the various activities that took place to raise money for Udayan including helping at cake sales and attending two of the Udayan evenings organised by Mrs Weldon. I hope to give as much as I can to this trip in terms of helping in whatever way possible; it is a privilege to be given this opportunity. I am hoping that this trip will give me a better understanding of the world that we live in and I would like to gain an appreciation for another different culture. The most exciting thing about this trip is the fact that I really do not know what to expect so I am keeping an open mind!
I am about to return to Udayan for the sixth time and am as excited about this visit as I was the original one in 2005. Many things have changed there over the ten years but essentially Udayan remains the same – a place of refuge and love for the very poorest of the poor, the children of leprosy sufferers. The children of St Joan’s have during the course of these years raised many thousands of pounds for those children, and the bond has deepened that much more with each team of visiting sixth formers. My hope is that this group of students will give of themselves as generously as their predecessors, and that they will return as enriched.
My name is Vicky McMillan and I’m a senior prefect at St. Joan of Arc school. I am studying Art, Sociology, Philosophy and Ethics, and I hope to study Art after sixth form. I have an interest in travelling and meeting new people. Udayan will be a great experience for me because I have always wanted to go to India, and I love curry. My older sister went on this trip in 2013 and when I heard all about it I was then desperate to go. I am looking forward to seeing Udayan and being with the children. If I can share my experience with the school on my return then the students will see how important all of our efforts are for the cause. Hopefully this will encourage them to get even more involved in supporting Udayan. I hope everyone who follows the Mission journal will enjoy seeing the home St Joan’s has been helping.
As a former student of St Joan’s I have been involved since the very beginning of the school’s involvement with Udayan in 2004. On hearing Mrs Weldon talk so passionately about the work of the home I became hooked and it’s amazing to see the school community still generating significant funds for the charity 11 years on. rnrnSince leaving St Joan’s in 2007, I have been the secretary of City of Joy Aid, UK (the charity which supports Udayan in the UK) which has allowed me to stay in touch with the progress Udayan is making and how funds from the UK are spent. I thoroughly enjoy working with the trustees to promote the good work of Udayan and the other NGOs in and near Kolkata which the charity supports.rnrnThis will be my third trip to India with St Joan’s, having been a part of the 2007 and 2011 teams to visit Udayan and other projects supported by City of Joy Aid, UK. On both occasions it is fair to say we all had a great time but witnessed some very moving scenes which really made us all appreciate how lucky we are. I look forward to sharing similar experiences with the 2015 team. It will be wonderful to be back at Udayan again and see the progress that has been made in the past four years, as well as to spend many more hours with the children both in class and during their recreation time. We as a group look forward to sharing photographs and our activities with you through our daily diary (technology permitting).rn
My name is Bernie Gamble, I am 18 years old and am currently studying Maths, Chemistry and Further Maths at St Joan’s. I am hoping to go on to study Chemistry at Newcastle University this September. rnrnI first remember hearing of Udayan when I was in my last year of primary school, and the group who had just come back from the mission came to do an assembly for us. I was fascinated with all the pictures of the children who were having such a great time at their school. Then I came to St Joan’s and I began learning more about the charity and participating with all the fundraising events. I knew early on that I wanted to experience Udayan for myself. So when the opportunity came for me to go on the trip and visit it, I jumped at the chance! rnrnI am looking forward to being able meet all the children who we have been fundraising for over the past 7 years, and to seeing how all our hard work and money has changed their lives. I hope to not only help teach some of the children, but to also learn from them. I hope to bring some of their culture, their enthusiasm for education and gratefulness for what they have home with me. I believe it will be a brilliant, inspiring trip and I cannot wait to go!rn
My name is Pedro Custodio and I’m 18 years old. I study Maths, Further Maths and Physics with the hope of studying Computer Science at university.rnrnI was first introduced to Udayan in year 7 through the various fundraising activities the school does for the charity. Recently I helped to run Mrs Weldon’s ‘Light Music an’ Eats’ event where I played piano for a number of the acts.rnrnI am really looking forward to travelling to a new country, taking in the culture and meeting all the people. Most of all, I am looking forward to meeting the children of Udayan. Hopefully they’ll enjoy the visit as much as we will.rn
My name is Sasha Correia and I am currently studying chemistry biology and psychology at A level in St Joan of Arc. My plans for the future are hopefully to get into university to study medicine, and go on to become a psychiatrist or paediatrician. Fingers crossed anyways! Ever since I was first introduced to UDAYAN in year 7 I have always hoped that I would be lucky enough to get the opportunity to visit it. By the time I was offered the chance to go to UDAYAN I was still as eager. Perhaps it was because I had always seen the fundraising happening around school and the more I heard about what this fundraised money did for these children in India the more I wanted to be involved. Last year I was able to participate in raising £400 for an individual child in UDAYAN. I did this through for example organising for a teacher to dress up like Santa and selling sweets in a pick and mix. I hope to continue to support this child through this year again raising £400. This further fuelled my wanting to visit UDAYAN to visit the child I have helped sponsor and to see the incredible difference that money is making to her life. I hope from this trip I will not only get to experience a completely different culture, but understand the problems that some other people face and although they may be far away from us, it is still so important to do our best to better other people’s lives. I hope to gain a better insight into how important it is to support charities and not turn a blind eye to certain problems even if they don’t affect us directly. Simultaneously, I hope that I can help to strengthen the bon between St Joan of arc and UDAYAN, by showing all of the children that although we are far way we are thinking of them. I hope we can somewhat brighten their day through this and get to know what their life is like in UDAYAN. As we get closer to our time in India, we are all getting more and more excited as we know it will be a truly unforgettable trip.
My name is Finn Black. I study Art, Photography and English Literature. By my choice of study it’s clear I have a strong interest in the arts. Going forward I hope to study Design at the prestigious Central Saint Martins. I’m travelling to Udayan in hope of better understanding the distant culture and to attempt to help the people there. I also intend to document the team’s trip out to Kolkata on film. I hope that what we film will allow others to learn what we experience when we are there. I also hope to understand and record the daily joys and triumphs of the children of Udayan.
My name is Francis Albrecht and I am currently studying Maths, Further Maths and Physics in the upper sixth at St Joan’s. I hope to go on to study mechanical/design engineering at Brunel University. Outside of school I am a working videographer & photographer. I am also a passionate musician. I have grown up in a community called the Catholic Worker Farm where we offer accommodation for women and children seeking asylum. rnrnI will be part of the team documenting the trip to Udayan to capture our experiences and the experiences of the children there. I’m looking forward to finally seeing Udayan and to meeting everyone. I hope our visit will give the children a fun time so they’ll continue to look forward to St Joan’s visits!rn