Caroline Weldon

rnrnThis will be my seventh visit to Udayan and I am as excited as I was in 2005 when anticipating my first. It has always been a great joy to see the children and meet the staff who run the home and teach in its school. This particular visit will include meeting the new director, Father Jose who has done much great work there since his arrival. I am as always looking forward to seeing how the children have grown in the intervening two years and how Udayan has progressed in its mission. The team going with me includes Liam our chaplain, on his second visit, and eight sixth form students in their final year at St Joan’s. All have shown keen interest in Udayan and commitment to fundraising activities in support of its work. It is with particular pleasure that I welcome Chris Mann as a team member. A past student of St Joan’s and three-time visitor to Udayan, Chris has proved himself a dedicated and loyal supporter of the home. He is now a trustee and the secretary of the umbrella charity, City of Joy Aid, UK.

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James Shorne

rnrnHi my name is James Shorne and I am currently studying Government and Politics, Geography and Business at St Joan of Arc. I am hoping in the near future I to start a commercial pilot’s license course at CTC Aviation in Southampton. I was made aware of Udayan on arriving at St Joan’s when I was eleven. rnrnAfter seeing videos about the home and of previous trips, and hearing stories from Mrs Weldon about the children there and the work that goes on, I was motivated to become involved in helping in any way I can. I am very pleased to be going there. A second reason I wanted to go to India and Udayan especially is because I can view people’s lives from a different angle and learn new things about the way that people live in another region of the world.rn

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Ethan O’Mara

rnrnHi my name is Ethan O’Mara, I am 17 years old and am currently studying Business, Psychology and ICT at St. Joan of Arc. This September I am hoping to continue studying Business Management at university.rn rnOver the years at St Joan’s I have heard a lot about Udayan and have really admired what the charity does. I’ve always been very interested in going to Kolkata and visiting the children at Udayan for whom we have been fundraising during the time I have been at school, so I was excited when the chance for me to go on the trip came up. Being given the opportunity to go to India to work at Udayan will also allow me to see life through a different perspective and I cannot wait to take in the culture and meet new people.

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Holly O’Donovan

rnrnHi, my name is Holly and I am currently studying Psychology, Business and History A-levels at St Joan’s.rnrnI hope to go on to study Law at university later this year. I sought to go on the Udayan trip because I love helping others who have to survive in worse conditions than ourselves. This inspired me to take up the opportunity of going Udayan to see the children there and the home to which I have been contributing donations since Year 7. Secondly, I hope to create memories with all the people who are going on the trip, memories which will remain close to my heart for years to come. rn

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Natasha Neal

rnrnHi my name is Natasha Neal and I’m currently studying Business, Psychology and Drama and Theatre studies in the sixth form at Joan of Arc. I’m hoping to go to Buckinghamshire New University to continue studying Psychology. rn rnUp until year 11 I went to Ricky School and only ever heard about Udayan at the beginning of year 12 when I was first introduced to the charity. Since then their way of life has intrigued me and I’ve wanted to see how I can help – going out there would be the perfect opportunity. Mrs.Weldon, the teacher who introduced Udayan to St Joan’s and organises these trips is also my form tutor, and her stories have inspired and encouraged me to go even more. I can’t wait for this once in a lifetime experience!rn

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Isabella McGowan

rnrnHey, my name is Isabella. I study chemistry, biology and physics. Although science interests me I have always had a bigger passion to help people. I believe visiting Udayan will be a great opportunity to do so and I am excited to be going there after knowing about it for so many years.

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Chris Mann

rnrnI have been involved since the very beginning of the school’s commitment to Udayan in 2004 and it was on hearing Mrs Weldon talk so passionately about the work of the home I became hooked. The 2017 Mission will be a special one for me as it was 10 years ago that I was fortunate to be part of the group that visited India and Udayan when I was in Year 13! I am amazed and exceptionally proud that Udayan is still a huge part of school life at St Joan of Arc and 13 years on the school community has raised somewhere in the region of £120,000.rnrnSince leaving St Joan’s in 2007 I have become a trustee of City of Joy Aid, UK (the charity which supports Udayan in the UK). Whilst many things have changed over the years at Udayan it still lives by the Bengali translation of its name – dawn, new beginnings. The children there are given a home, education and medical attention. Without Udayan these children would be living on the streets or in slums – such is the stigma of leprosy.rnrnThis will be my fourth trip to India with St Joan’s, having been a part of the 2007, 2011 and 2015 teams to visit Udayan and other projects supported by City of Joy Aid, UK. It will be wonderful to be back at Udayan again and see the progress that has been made in the past two years, as well as to spend many more hours with the children. We as a group look forward to sharing photographs and our activities with you through our daily diary (technology permitting).

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Liam Lynch

rnrnIt has been a long two years since I first visited Udayan. It seems longer still because initially the desire to return was so strong. After that, came the deeper impact of spending time with the wonderful people of Udayan and Kolkata. Everyone there is so grateful for what they have – some clothes, some food, a place to sleep, an education. And grateful, joyful people are a pleasure to be with – such virtues are contagious. The work of founder James Stevens and everyone involved, has created a nurturing environment to call home. I’m looking forward to this trip which we call a mission – not because of any great service that we take to them, but because of the gifts they give to us in the mission-field of our own hearts. In addition to the company, I’m looking forward to the simplicity of life, the food, the dancing, the singing and the noise and colour of India, plus the opportunity to visit the home and tomb of SAINT Mother Teresa of Calcutta!rnrn

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Sian Hows

rnrnHello, my name is Sian-Marie and I am currently studying Psychology, Geography and Biology at A-level. I hope to study Criminology at Royal Holloway University next year.rnrnI have been inspired to go on the visit to Udayan for two reasons. Firstly, by the students who went last year. From watching their videos and hearing from my cousin who went on one of the first trips, I decided that I would like to go and experience what the less fortunate have and see what I could do to help. Secondly, I hope to make some memories with my friends that will last for my life time just like my cousin did. When I come back, I plan to tell many others about my experiences and inspire them to go to India as well.rn rn

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Katherine Gallagher

rnrnHi my name is Katherine. I am wanting to go to Udayan as it is an amazing chance see the charity that I have been supporting as a member of St Joan of Arc for the past seven years. I am looking forward to meeting the children of Udayan and seeing how all of the school’s charity events and mufti days have impacted their lives and hopefully made a great difference. It will also be interesting to experience some of the Indian culture whilst out there and to go to a country I never thought that I would have the chance to visit. I am interested in becoming a primary school teacher and this is an experience that is not offered to all and may help me in becoming a teacher a one day.

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