NEWS

NEWS...........

LAUNCH OF 'A SMILE FOR EASTER' TOOTHPASTE & TOOTHBRUSH APPEAL

Sunday 24th January 2010

Today see the launch of ' A SMILE FOR EASTER' TOOTHPASTE/TOOTHBRUSH APPEAL.

For a number of years we have been working closely with two rural schools in trying to improve the condition of the teeth of the children from the two villages of Danes & Gageni.

We have seen that most of the children have severe decay leading to loss of teeth and acute toothache. As the children grow older other oral problems occure with rotting teeth, gum disease and abscesses. The picture in the poster is typical of the sort of problems the children experience.

There is no free dental treatment for these children and most families cannot afford to buy toothpaste.

On our aid trips we distribute toothpaste and brushes through the schools and hope to do so on our 'Drop in the Ocean' Humanitarian Aid Trip in May this year.

Our appeal is for the donation of toothpaste and brushes so we can continue with this project in Romania.

If you would like to help by donating or by organising a collection of our behalf please contact us through the contact page on this web site.

Together we can put a SMILE back on the face of a child.....

THOUGHTS THIS CHRISTMAS - TWENTY YEARS ON AFTER THE ROMANIAN REVOLUTION AND THE FALL OF CEAUSESCU........

As Christmas approaches fast my thoughts go back to this week 20 years ago when the ordinary people of Romania rose up against its president and government heralding an end to the tyranical regime that had been imposed on its people for over 25 years.

I am sure that non of us who were, back then, moved by the infamous pictures of the country's orphanages imagine that two decades later that there would still a need for NGO's like ours to still be providing the very basics of life to Romania's poorest.

Non of us could have imagined that after twenty years Romania's present leaders could be still so corrupt and failing its own people so badly, lying to the rest of Europe about the true fate of its most vunerable citzens - the poor, the young, the old, the sick and the infirm.

Despite millions of Euros being pumped into Romania the failings of the last twenty years are still evident if you know where to look and are not hood winked by the official line.

Many officials in Romania are past masters at deciet. They produce films and photographs of new or renovated buildings, shiny new equipment, computers, toys etc to show how they have improved things in the orphanages and mental institutions. But many many times this is just a cover for its still appalling treatment of its vunerable behind the hidden and closed doors.

Of course they had many problems to overcome but come on - it's been twenty years.........

Time after time it is only the secret filming of western journalists that tell the true story about Romania and our innefectual EU MP's should shoulder some of the responsiblity for this sick state of affairs by being so gullable in accepting what they were told by the Romanian officialdom when they sought to join the EU.

Twelve months ago there was the report by the Duches of York when she secetretly filmed inside some childrens homes.

The most recent report is by the BBC showing the all too familiar conditions in a mental institution. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8425001.stm.

Although the pictures are only a week old they could have been twenty years old - nothing has honestly changed.

It is this forgotten part of the Romanian people that the Oak Tree Foundation has been striving to help for all these years.

It is a long, hard, up hill battle for our small group of volunteers to, year after year, find the strength and personal fortitude to keep going.

We know what it is really like for the poor families and other organisations we help and we know that whatever we can do it is just a Drop in the Ocean but it DOES make a difference.

Our next humanitarian aid trip is now just over 20 weeks away.

As we all sit down for Christmas lunch in four days time I hope that you will spare a moment of thought for all those not as lucky as we are, wherever in the world they may be.

Please take some time also to look at the BBC link above.

Craciun Fericit / Merry Christmas to you all and I hope that 2010 will bring you peace and health over the coming years.

Regards

Roy Bowden

Coordinator

OAK TREE FOUNDATION - Helping Romanian Children

21st December 2009

Runs Miles - Donates Pounds x 3 ..........

Three members of Gledholt Church, Huddersfield took part in the Sandall Beat Trail 10k Race, Doncaster back in June to raise money for charity.

Rob Davies, Roger Lawton and Jo Pickering split the sponsorship they received between a couple of charities with the Oak Tree Foundation receiving a donation from their efforts of £335.00.

OTF thanks Rob, Roger & Jo not only for putting in the hours of training but for their generosity in their kind donation.

The money will be used to provide transport for the OTF Drop in the Ocean 2010 Humanitarian Aid Trip planned for May next year.

Nov 2009

OAK TREE FOUNDATION helps children in Kenya.....

Here at the OTF we have always been very keen on inter agency assistance and when, during a chance conversation with someone involved in another NGO, we found that we could help.

Rowley Projects serves a community in Western Kenya, working in partnership with the local people to transform their everyday lives by providing Clean Water, Health Care and Education.

OTF donated some bags, T shirts and mugs for the Rowley Projects October 2008 Trip to Kenya.

Below the photo shows some of the children with the donated bags.

Further information about the Rowley Projects can be found at:

http://www.rowleyprojects.com

WHILE YOUR HERE WHY NOT CLICK ON

THE EVENTS PAGE

TO SEE THE LATEST INFORMATION ABOUT FORTHCOMING

TALKS, CONCERTS AND OTHER

OTF EVENTS

DONATION OF WORK DESKS

Advanced Electronics Limited ( www.advel.co.uk ) of Claycliffe Office Park, Barnsley have kindly donated six office work desks to be transported to a rural school in Romania.

Technical Director, Alan Beech, also gave a generous cash donation to help fund the transport of the desks and other aid on OTF's next humanitarian aid trip planned for May 2010.

Gary Stevenson & Phil Swatridge from Advanced Electronics Ltd with one of the donated work desks

12.08.09

BROCHURE FROM THE CASTLE CARR FUND RAISING EVENT JULY 2009

Due to the massive attendence at the recent Castle Carr open day we ran out of the free brochures. As promised we have below the brochure from the event pubished on the web site by kind permission of David Cant.

Front Cover

Page 1

Page 2

Page 4

Page 5

Page 6

Page 7

TIMETABLE FOR VISIT

Back Cover

PLANS SET IN MOTION FOR

'DROP IN THE OCEAN HUMANITARIAN AID TRIP 2010'

At the latest OTF meeting plans were set in motion for the groups next aid trip to Romania.

Due to the increase in transport costs the trip last November 2008 drained nearly all the groups finances so an aid trip in 2009 is not feasably possible.

It was also felt that running an aid trip to Romania at the back end of the year ( as last time November 2008 ) was providing more problems in the distribution of the aid in the rural areas than the team needed to deal with. As weather is always unpredictable with freezing temperatures, mud and short daylight hours it was agreed that OTF would in the future plan to run any aid trip in the month of May.

For the next OTF aid trip, May 2010 is a particularly poignant time as it will celebrate ( if that is the right word ) 20 years of Romanian aid work by OTF team members Roy Bowden & Jim Cheetham. They were members of one of the biggest UK convoy's taking aid to Romania in May 1990. This was just months after the revolution when the country's president/dictator Nicolae Ceausescu's thirty four year rule was brought to an end. A military tribunal tried both Ceausescu and his wife Elena for 'crimes against the people', they were sentenced to death and executed on Christmas Day 1989.

Neither Roy or Jim ever thought that nearly twenty years on there would still be a need to be taking humanitarian aid to poor, sick and needy children and their families in Romania.

The success of the 'Adopt a Family' scheme first implimented on the Nov '08 aid trip, where outside groups and indiviuals sourced and packed essential basic clothing and other items for particular families, has meant that any future aid trip had the backing of dozens of extremely keen and enthusiastic supporters.

Most of the outside groups who took part in the scheme last year have already expressed their wish to be involved again and there has been a number of enquiries from new groups and individuals who want to be involved in this important part of OTF's work.

The trip in November 2008 again revealed even more families in desperate need of help and so there is always room for more UK groups to get involved in the Adopt a Family scheme.

The Special Page for the scheme on the web site under the NEWS page will soon be updated with lots of useful advice for old and new groups along with a list of clothing and other useful items held at the OTF warehouse that can be called on.

Anyone wishing to join the scheme or requires further information about it are asked to email the OTF using the CONTACT PAGE or telephone on 07710 042 088.

3rd May 2009

Faye to run in the

'Run for All 10k Road Race'

Sunday 21st June 2009

Fay Greenwood, OTF's treasurer, and her work colleague Michael Fletcher from the head office of Bon Marche in Huddersfield, are to run in this years 'Jane Thomlinson's Run for All 10K Road Race' at Leeds in June.

Faye and Michael are busy training for this event and hope to raise lots of money for the Oak Tree Foundation by way of personal sponsorship.

Faye has stated that she is hoping to complete the course in under 1 hr 15minutes but it will depend on the weather.

Good Luck to the pair of them.

If you would like to sponsor Faye and/or Michael please go to the

CONTACT US & DONATIONS page on this web site.

Article from the Maia Singers Newsletter March 2009.

Short Article from 'Vision' the staff magazine of Bon Marche Autumn/Winter 2008

reproduce by kind permission

23rd November 2008

A small number of photographs from the Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip November 2008 can be found on the Gallery pages. ( click on Gallery on the menue on the left to access this page)

Further photographs will be added over the following weeks, along with a summary report, and will give a view of the life, the dirt, the squalor and the sheer helplessness of the poor families in these rural villages of Romania in the run up to Christmas 2008.

Sample photograph:

Young Romanian boy in the village of Danes, Transylvania. His trousers are wet as he had been playing in the river that runs between the group of 'houses' on the hillside above the village. Nov 2008.

17th November 2008 final message from Romania

This is the last message from Romania before we fly back to the UK tomorrow.

After loading all the remaining aid that was to be delivered to the Prahova area into the four vehicles on the morning of the 14th the road journey back over two mountains ranges from Sighisoara to Ploiesti went without any problems and we arrived in the city of Ploiesti in the late afternoon.

We made directly to the offices of the disabled association in the city centre and after going round the block several times we eventually managed to park the one van containing the aid for the association close by to unload.

A speach therapy class in operation with a number of the children and we stayed for a short while to observe what was going on. The children were being read to from a book and then the teacher had them repeating various words and sounds described in the story.

We then set off for Paulesti where we understood rooms had been booked at the only pension (hotel) in the area. However when we arrived, in the dark, we learned that there had been a mix up over dates and there was no room.

After several phone calls we were able to accomodate everyone in the team with a bed for a night and we all retired to await a busy schedule of deliveries the following day.

Friday saw us bright and early at the school in Gageni where all the educational supplies and sports equipment was unloaded. We then had a delightfull hour giving out the goodie bags to each of the children in their respective class rooms.

The big hits from the goodie bags were the T shirts, again, the Yo Yo's and skipping ropes.

Just before midday we began to distibute the Family Aid Boxes to the recipients arround the village.

Several years ago the houses in the whole of the village were re-numbered but many of the houses had not changed the sign on the gates with the new numbers which made life just a little difficult. In some of the areas the house numbers were not consecutive and finding some of the houses proved a little difficult.

One address was 'the house in the middle of the field'. We had been to this house before but 12 months ago but finding it again took time.

By the end of the day, as the light faded and the temperature dropped, we had delivered the boxes to several of the families. The next problem to resolve was find somewhere for us all to sleep that night.

Luck was on our side and we found a hotel close by that had accomodation for us.

Over the next couple of days we continued to deliver the Family Aid Boxes and obtaining new Family Information Sheets and photographs for next years project.

Work started at first light and went on until the light disapeared around 5pm. Until today, when it started raining, the weather had been good allowing us to complete more of the work each day.

By 4pm today, Monday, we had delivered all the aid to the Prahova area and had added several more poor families to our ever growing list.

Tomorrow morning with sad hearts in leaving our many friends and helpers we will head back to the airport at Otopeni for the flight home to the UK.

All the team are tired but they have all seen for themselves that together - and with your help - we are making a difference.

Roy Bowden reporting from the city of Ploiesti, Jud Prahova Romania - 2300hrs Monday 17th November 2008.

One of the many poor children on the hillside above the village of Danes Transyvania.

Check later in the week for further photographs of the families you have been helping....................

12th November 2008 message from Romania

This is just a short message written at an internet cafe in the citadel city of Sighisoara on the last evening in Transyvania before moving off to the Ploiesti area for our final part of our aid trip.

Our flight from Manchester to Bucharesti last Saturday went without any problems and we were on time to pick up the four rental vehicles to make the overland journey to Sighisoara. Having left the airport at 1530hrs we eventually arrived in the city at 2030hrs, in the cold and dark but grateful that we had all arrived safely.

The team was up early next morning and we drove to the school hall in the village of Danes. The wagon arrived intact as did some twenty or so pupils and teachers to help unload the wagon.

The children were very enthusiastic and we made terrific time with all 7 tons unloaded and placed into set piles on the floor of the hall in just over 1 hour.

We spend the next few hours sorting through the many boxes and items of aid sepreating the aid for the Danes area and that for the Gageni area.

It had been a very long day the day before and by late afternoon we were all desperately tired so we called it a day, returned to the hotel for a shower and then out for the first proper meal of the day.

That night it turned very cold, -6, but Monday morning found a very cold but bright and cheerful day with all the team in good spirits.

Some of the goods for the school were carried to the main school building and then we loaded the aid boxes for the families on the hill behind the village centre.

The ground was dry and hard, far better than last November when we had knee deep mud, and so we were able to get one of the vans and the 4x4 right up to the families homes at the group of houses on the hillside above the main village.

In the sun it was warm although there was still some ice about, There seemed to be dozens of kids of all ages playing in the dirt,and refuse with some having fun running down the river embankment and jumping accross - some missing or playing with the many dogs, chickens, ducks and pigs that were running about.

We were able to deliver all the Family Aid boxes to the various familes who greeted us with warm smiles and recognition that we had fulfilled our promise of last November that we would bring them some help.

We have some wonderful photographsand stories to share with you later and some that will shock you.

The last few days have seen all the families on our list having their Family Aid Boxes delivered, the school has received the sports equipment, furniture and educational supplies. The local kindergarten has received furniture and toys and some of the specialised disabled equipment has been delivered to units in Sighisoara, Albesti and to the local Veritas charity.

The director and the authorities in the special unit in Sighisoara were in near panic mode due to the programme on TV last week when the Duches of York did some secret filming in the orphanges in Bucharesti. So much so that were have no pictures at all from this govenment run unit.

By 1800hrs tonight, Wednesday everything for this area has been delivered and tomorrow, bright and early we set off to the city of Ploiesti to start the next round of deliveries. This will be a drive of 5-6 hours over two mountain ranges with the possibility of snow en route.

I will try and report again on how we are going on if I can get internet access.

I know that many people back in the UK are wishing us well on this venture and I can tell you that the team appreciate all the support we have been given.

Roy Bowden - Co-ordinator Oak Tree Foundation reporting from the citadel city of Sighisoara, Transylvania, Romania - 1830hrs Wednesday 12th November 2008.

4th November 2008

Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip 2008

Wagon Loaded and On its Way.

At 9am this morning our 16 strong loading team, aided by Dorel the Romanian driver, started the ardous and back breaking job of loading the artic will all the aid for this years trip.

Everything from the 'Adopt a Family' Clothing Boxes, Educational Supplies, School Furniture, Specialist Disabled Equipment to Musical Instruments and Sports Equipment were carefully packed to make the 2000 mile journey across Europe to Romania.

The inside of the artic with all the Adopt a Family Clothing Boxes Loaded

Over 7 tons of goods were loaded by hand into the Romanian wagon supplied by Mission & Relief Transport of Holland an international company specialising in the worlwide transportation of aid.

Dorel explained that he was so happy to be a driver for Mission & Relief Transport as it enabled him to help organisations like OTF who are helping the poor sick and needy children and their families in his country. He explained that he felt that he was lucky to have a job and was aware of the terrible hardship and living conditions of some of his fellow villagers were experiencing with no money, food or work.

Some of the aid goods waiting to be loaded

By 12.45pm we had had three strokes of luck; 1. the last items were loaded onto the artic and the back doors closed 2. the artic trailer was just big enough to accomodate all the aid & 3. the weather had been kind to us.

With all the paperwork completed Doril and his artic set off for Dover to begin the journey across Europe to meet up with the OTF team next Sunday morning, 9th Nov, in the village of Danes, Transylvania.

The Loading Team - November 2008

Back Row: Maggie, Jackie, Jim, Mike, Pat, Kath, Walter, Tim, Simon, Bob, Peter, David, Graham, Fred.

Kneeling at front: Roy & Margaret

OTF would like to thank the loading team especially, Maggie, Jackie, Mike, Tim, Bob, David, Walter, Fred & Graham ( all members of the Maia Singers in Stockport ) for giving up their time to help load the wagon.........

.............together we are making a difference.

1st November 2008

Less than a week........

As I sit to write this report it is 9pm Saturday 1st November....... at this time next Saturday. 8th November, I hope that our aid team will have made the flights from Manchester to Bucharest, picked up the four hire vehicles and driven the 5-6 hours to Sighisoara.

It will be a long day as we fly at 6am and will not arrive in Sighisoara until about 8pm that night.

We have received confirmation from the transport company that all our paperwork is in order and that we will have the artic to load at 9am Tuesday 4th November over in Manchester.

All the arrangements with our contacts in Romania have been made by email so all the team can do now is just count the days down until we set off.

All the team, Kath, Simon, Jim, Pat, Faye, Pete & Margaret and myself, Roy, together with our Romanian friends and translators Nicu, Andreea and Liah are aware of the great responsibility and expectations we carry with us on your behalf to those we come into contact with in Romania, the families and organsisations we deliver aid to and also to all the individuals and groups in the UK who have worked so hard over the last few months collecting and packing the Family Boxes in OTF's Adopt a Family Project.

Every one of our team, including our Romanian friends and helpers, will ensure that everything that we have loaded onto the wagon in Manchester will be delivered directly by us, to those families and organisations in the villages and towns of Danes, Sighisoara, Gageni, Bacoi & Ploiesti, that it was destined for.

Please keep your fingers crossed that our Jim gets back in time to travel to Romania with us. Jim has been away for the last three weeks helping to build a school in a small village in the mountains of Nepal.

Please keep checking this page of our Web Site for further updates.

24th OCTOBER 2008

Transport Manifest Completed

Last night the full transport manifest for all the humanitarian aid which will be transported across to Romania and distributed by our own UK team during our Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip 2008 has been completed.

Statistics: Almost 7 tons ( 6936kgs ), 192 cubic meters, £220,000 value.

Numbers don't really give the full picture so put in simple terms this is a full articulated wagon made up of clothes, educational supplies, school furniture, toys, specialised disabled equipment, toothpaste/brushes and musical instruments to mention just the main items.

Everything on the wagon has been donated by companies or generous individuals and groups in the UK.

The hard part of the job is in the UK and is almost over with the collecting, packing and manifesting.

( There is still the loading of the wagon on the 4th November to come.)

The rewarding part of the job in Romania is still to come in the distribution of aid that YOU have provided to those in most need.

20th OCTOBER 2008

Huddersfield Examiner Newspaper Article:

www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2008/10/15/convoy-s-mission-to-romanian-villages-86081-22035691/

19th OCTOBER 2008

PRESS RELEASES - West Yorks & Gt Manchester

Contact: Roy Bowden

Coordinator

Email:

info@theoaktreefoundation.org

RegCharity No. 1090392

16 Carr Lane

Slaithwaite

Te: 07710042088

Fax: 0870 622 0169

Press Release West Yorks

Local charity sets dates for their

Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip 2008

The OAK TREE FOUNDATION – Helping Romanian Children a local, Kirklees & Calderdale based aid group are setting off on the 8^th November 2008 to deliver much needed basic humanitarian aid to the poor, sick and needy children and their families in some of the poorest rural areas of Romania.

The team of eight volunteers will fly out, at their own expence, to Romania where they will meet up with an articulated wagon full of the aid which will have travelled overland from the UK to Romania. The aid which has all been donated and collected by the group will then be distributed personally by them over the following ten days to the families most in need.

For this aid trip Oak Tree have been helped by local church groups, scouts, beavers, WI and other kind-hearted people who ‘adopted’ a Romanian family. Working from a family information sheet provided by Oak Tree the groups have collected two full changes of clothing of the correct size for each family member and have filled specific family boxes. Over 250 people, many of whom are children, will receive the help before the winter sets in. Blankets and towels along with small toys, pens and papers for the children have been included.

Roy Bowden, coordinator of the Foundation, said that it was the first time that the Adopt a Family scheme had been used and that the take up by groups from all over the area has proved very popular as it gave a more personal touch to the help the groups taking part gave. Help came not just locally but also from groups from his family’s home town of Stockport. It has been particularly successful because it has been helping the people of Huddersfield, Halifax and Stockport to respond with a personal touch empathising and identifying with Romanian families."

In Romania we work with the help of the schools in the villages of Gageni & Danes to identify families who are in most need of help.

The Oak Tree Foundation will also deliver aid to the two schools in the villages in the way of educational supplies and sports equipment.

Also being delivered in the city of Ploiesti to an association of parents with disabled children will be over 100 pieces of specialized equipment such as support chairs, specialised walking frames, physiotherapy equipment. The association has over 700 children with disabilities on their books who receive little, if any, state help so what we take really does make a difference to the quality of life these children lead.

The Oak Tree Foundation have been in operation for over 8 years but some members of the group have been involved in taking humanitarian aid to Romania since the fall of Ceausescu in 1990.

Roy stated that collecting vital clothing and other equipment to take to the families, schools and other groups in Romania is still fairly easy but over the years the cost of transportation has increased and particularly this time. The transportation costs this year is £1000 more this year than last year. We are still desperately looking for donations from individuals and companies to assist with the extra costs of transportation.

All our members are volunteers and the team who are going to Romania in November will be funding their own air fares and accommodation from their own pocket. We rely on the support of the public and raise all our money by fund raising and public donations. ALL the money received is used to get the aid to Romania and distributed by us to those most in need.

We are now in the process of preparing the manifest for this years aid trip but the cost involved in such a venture is still a main concern. The value of the goods being taken to Romania is about £200,000 so doing it this way is still very good value for money and helps hundreds of poor and needy Romanians every time. The work of the Oak Tree Foundation helps and encourages rural Romanian families to continue their traditional ways of village life by easing their poverty. We know that this does work as we have had many families who are now coping by themselves and without our help but it is a sad fact that there are always new families who find themselves in dire situations through no fault of their own.

If anyone would like to know more about what we are doing in Romania they will find much more information about the Oak Tree Foundation on our web site at www.theoaktreefoundation.org.

Should anyone wish to make a donation information on how to do so can be found on our web site or it can be sent to The Oak Tree Foundation, 16 Carr Lane, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5AN

THE INFORMATION, PHOTOGRAPHS LOGO ON OUR WEB SITE MAY BE USED BY THE PRESS IN RELATION TO THIS ARTICLE

PLEASE NOTE © David Roy Bowden

Contact: Roy Bowden

Coordinator

Email:

info@theoaktreefoundation.org

RegCharity No. 1090392

16 Carr Lane

Slaithwaite

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire HD7 5AN

Te: 07710042088

Fax: 0870 622 0169

Press Release Manchester/Stockport

Stockport Groups help vital humanitarian aid trip to Romania

A number of Stockport Churches and kind-hearted people have taken part in an ‘Adopt a Family’ campaign run by the OAK TREE FOUNDATION – Helping Romanian Children a Yorkshire based registered charity.

Two of the members of the charity, coordinator Roy Bowden and his wife Kath, who is the secretary to the group, originate from Stockport and still have strong family ties with the town and are members of the Maia Singers; have called on their many friends and relatives in the town to help with their Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip 2008.

The local organisations, augmented by similar groups of churches, WI’s, Rotary Clubs, Scouts and Beavers back in Yorkshire, were invited to ‘adopt’ a Romanian family. Working from a family information sheet provided by Oak Tree the groups have collected two full changes of clothing of the correct size for each family member and have filled specific family boxes. Over 250 people, many of whom are children, will receive the help before the winter sets in. Blankets and towels along with small toys, pens and papers for the children have been included.

The Stockport connection does not stop there as three local people are among the team of eight volunteers who will fly out, at their own expense, to Romania.

Husband and wife, Peter and Margaret Struggles of Davenport and Simon Dillon of Altrincham, have joined the OAK TREE FOUNDATION to fly out to Romania on the 8^th November 2008 to personally deliver much needed basic humanitarian aid to the poor, sick and needy children and their families in some of the poorest rural areas of Romania.

For Peter and Margaret it will be their first visit to Romania although as friends of Roy and Kath they know full well of the appalling conditions of the families they will meet. Simon is an old hand and has been a valued member of Oak Tree for several years.

The OAK TREE FOUNDATION – Helping Romanian Children, a Kirklees & Calderdale based NGO, are setting off on the 8^th November 2008 to personally deliver the much needed basic humanitarian aid to the poor, sick and needy children and their families in some of the poorest rural areas of Romania.

The team will meet up with an articulated wagon full of the aid which will have travelled overland from the UK to Romania. The aid, which has all been donated and collected by the group, will then be distributed personally by them over the following ten days to the families most in need.

Roy Bowden, coordinator of the Foundation, said that it was the first time that the Adopt a Family scheme had been used and that the take up by groups from all over has proved very popular as it gave a more personal touch to the help the groups taking part gave. It has been particularly successful because it has been helping the people of Huddersfield, Halifax and Stockport to respond with a personal touch; empathising and identifying with Romanian families."

In Romania we work with the help of the schools in the villages of Gageni & Danes to identify families who are in most need of help. Kath and I were out on a survey in Romania last November when the winter weather was just starting. It was below freezing with ice and snow and, even though I have been out to Romania many times over the last eighteen years, I never thought that I could still be shocked but finding the appalling living conditions some of the poorest families were living in at that time, particularly in the village of Danes, was unbelievable given that Romania is now supposed to be members of EU. (See web site – Bogdan Family – Nov 2007).

The Oak Tree Foundation will also deliver aid to the two schools in the two villages in the way of educational supplies and sports equipment.

Also being delivered in the city of Ploiesti to an association of parents with disabled children will be over 100 pieces of specialized equipment such as support chairs, specialised walking frames and physiotherapy equipment. The association has over 700 children with disabilities on their books who receive little, if any, state help so what we take really does make a difference to the quality of life these children lead.

The Oak Tree Foundation have been in operation for over 8 years but some members of the group have been involved in taking humanitarian aid to Romania since the fall of Ceausescu in 1990.

Roy stated that collecting vital clothing and other equipment to take to the families, schools and other groups in Romania is still fairly easy but over the years the cost of transportation has increased and particularly this time. The transportation costs this year are £1000 more than last year. Because of this increase in costs we still desperately need help to fund the transportation by way of donations from the general public and businesses.

We are now in the process of preparing the manifest for this year’s aid trip but the cost involved in such a venture is still a main concern. The value of the goods being taken to Romania is about £200,000 so doing it this way is still very good value for money and helps hundreds of poor and needy Romanians every time. The work of the Oak Tree Foundation helps and encourages rural Romanian families to continue their traditional ways of village life by easing their poverty. We know that this does work as we have had many families who are now coping by themselves and without our help but it is a sad fact that there are always new families who find themselves in dire situations through no fault of their own.

Roy also said that he was delighted to have Peter, Margaret & Simon on the team this November and that this was just a continuance of the help and support they had personally given over many years and the support that the people of Stockport had also given over the years to Oak Tree.

If anyone would like to know more about what we are doing in Romania they will find much more information about the Oak Tree Foundation on our web site at www.theoaktreefoundation.org.

Should anyone wish to make a donation information on how to do so can be found on our web site or it can be sent to The Oak Tree Foundation, 16 Carr Lane, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5AN

THE INFORMATION, PHOTOGRAPHS & LOGO ON OUR WEB SITE MAY BE USED BY THE PRESS IN RELATION TO THIS ARTICLE

PLEASE NOTE © David Roy Bowden

Additional information – In November 1990 Roy, as team leader, transported overland a team of student nurses from Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport to Romania to work for a month in the orphanages and hospitals in Ploiesti.

19th OCTOBER 2008

The clock is ticking............................

Today all the aid we have in stored in our Manchester and West Vale warehouses, which will be going out on our 2008 aid trip, has been weighed, measured and manifested and is one step closer to reaching those in most need in Romania.

There is still some school furniture to pick up take to our warehouse and manifest but we expect to have that ready and waiting with the rest of the aid by the middle of this coming week.

Most of the other transport and travel arrangements have already been completed but there are still daily emails back and to with Romania over last minute details.

The Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip 2008 looks as though it may be the biggest we have undertaken in respect of the total weight, volume and value of the aid to be transported.

That is all down to the hard work of our OTF members and all our supporters new and old.

Thank you to everyone for working so hard to ensure that this trip goes out this year to help those in most need before the winter sets in.

Dependant on Internet availability whilst we are on the aid trip I will give regular updates on the NEWS page of our web site while we are away so you can keep up to date will all the deliveries, developments and photographs as they happen in Romania.

We are always interested to hear from you with any comments about what the OTF are doing and in particular about our aid trip. Send us an email.

17th October 2008

DONATION OF TOOTH PASTE & BRUSHES

A talk and digital slide show about the work of Oak Tree Foundation with children in Romania resulted in the donation of tooth paste and tooth brushes by the 17th Huddersfield (Linthwaite) Cub Scout group this evening.

The photographs and talk by Roy Bowden gave an insite to the Cub Scouts into the appalling living conditions of some of the poorest families in the villages of Gageni & Danes with the emphasies on the poor diet, malnutrician, tooth decay and other illnesses.

The Scouts had made a collection of tooth paste and toothbrushes which were donated to Oak Tree to give out to the children of the two villages.

A special thanks goes to all the Cub Scouts who took part as well as their parents and the pack leaders.

17th Huddersfield (Linthwaite) Cub Scout Pack along with their donations of toothpaste and brushes. 17.10.08

17th October 2008

DONATION OF PAPER FOR RURAL SCHOOLS

Pennine Housing 2000 is Calderdale's largest locally based registered social landlord and they have just kindly donated a number of boxes of A4 paper to be delivered as educational supplies to the schools in Danes & Gageni.

Pictured below is Bob Thompson of Pennine Housing 2000 and Roy Bowden from OTF with the donated boxes of paper.

17.10.08

17th October 2008

DONATION OF TOOTH PASTE & TOOTHBRUSHES

Oak Tree have today received a donation of tooth paste & tooth brushes collected by the pupils, staff and parents of Wilberlee J & I School, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield.

OTF co-ordinator, Roy, gave a talk and slide show at the school a couple of weeks ago and made an appeal for help after telling the children at Wilberlee about the poor conditions some of the children in the two villages of Gageni & Danes in Romania were living in. Pictures were were shown illustrating the effects of a poor diet and not being able to afford to buy a tooth brush or tooth paste.

The children were very enthusiastic to try and help their Romanian counter parts by collecting tooth paste and brushes to be taken out to the two villages during the Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid trip in November.

OTF thanks everyone at Wilberlee for their valuable help.

Some of the children at Wilberlee J & I School handing over their collection of tooth paste and brushes to OTF co-ordinator Roy Bowden. 17.10.08

12th October 2008

LAST MINUTE APPEAL

Oak Tree have received a urgent request from the two schools we help in Danes and Gageni for A4 size copy paper, white, tinted and coloured.

Although this is at the last minute Oak Tree appeals to any companies or individuals who can assist by donating some reems of paper.

We would need to have them by the 20th October as this is the date when the transport manifest has to be completed.

Anyone who can help please contact Oak Tree on 07710 042 088, by email info@theoaktreefoundation.org or the contact page on this web site.

2nd October 2008

ALMOST READY

All the travel and transport arrangements have now been sorted and confirmed and as the hours and days tick by the OAK TREE TEAM are busy completing all the packing and manifesting of all the goods that are being transported overland to Romania.

Hours and hours have been spent on making sure that even the last tooth brush or pen or special disabled chair has been checked, weighed and measured, has a number and appears on the transportation manifest sheet.

The FAMILY BOXES have been crossed checked against the master list and everyone has its own unique number so we can ensure the correct box gets to the correct family.

Even at this late stage negotiations have taken place to secure a number of school desks and chairs so badly needed at the school in Danes. There are going to be quite a few late nights and extra work involved if we are to get this extra school equipment ready for this years transport.

All of the eight UK team members on the November Aid Trip have now had their injections - we ensure that everyone who travels with us to Romania have the correct jabs for their personal safety. There are one or two of the team who have a couple of sore arms having had injections are for Tetanus, TB, Hep A & B, Polio, Dyptheria & Thyphoid.

The team wil fly to Romania by KLM ,via Amsterdam, and will pick up three rental vehicles at the airport in Bucharesti. Two vans and a 4x4 will be used as some of the roads in the villages are not suitable for larger vehicles.

In Transylvania we will have the services of Nicu, a student from Sighisoara, our Romanian friend who will work very hard on the translations. In the Prahova area we will have Andreea and Leah, two Romanian students from Bucharesti, who will give us their valuable time again in the translation department.

It was May 2007 when we first met these three young people who worked so hard last time to ensure our aid trip was a success. This sort of humanitarian aid work was something new to them and it certainly opened their eyes as to how their some of their country folk live in the poor rural villages.

They must be congratulated for their willingness to assist us again - they can clearly see that the work we do in Romania does make a difference.

Even if it's your birthday the packing and sorting goes on. The team take a welcome tea break and the candles are lit on the cake for birthday girl Kath - a quick cup of tea and a slice of cake then it was back to work....

10th September 2008

Dates Set for Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip 2008

The dates for this years aid trip have now been set and work is still frantic to ensure that everything is ready for the big days:

Tuesday 4th November 2008

Load the articulated wagon with all the aid that is going this year. This is a mamoth job as everything has to be loaded onto the wagon by hand and there is at least as much as last year. We know from experience that it will take ten helpers about 4 hours to load everything onto the wagon.

The wagon will set off straight away to make the overland trip from the UK to Romania.

Saturday 8th November 2008

The team of aid volunteer aid workers will fly from Manchester on the 6am flight to Otopini Airport, Bucharest, Romania. The international airport in Bucharest has recently been re-named the Henry Coanda Airport after a famous Romanian aviator.

Arriving at Bucharest at 1.35pm the team will then take collection of two Renault Traffic master Vans and a 4 wheel drive vehicle to make the 6 hour drive to Sighisoara. Travelling north along the E60 along the massive flat plains of Jud (county) Prahova through Ploiesti over the Transylvanian Alps through Sinaia down to Brasov. Continuing along the E60 and over sourthern edge of the Carpathian mountain range through Rupea and on into Transylvania in Jud Mures to ancient walled Saxon Citadel city of Sighisoara.

What time the team will arrive there we have no idea as this will depend on traffic and the weather.

Sunday 9th November 2008

We expect the wagon to arrive from the UK at the village of Danes, six miles west of the city, ready to be unloaded at 9am. Arrangements have been made for all the aid to unloaded into the village school hall to be sorted into the aid for the local area in Danes and that to be transported back to Jud Prahova for delivery in Ploiesti & Gageni.

The unloading will be hard work as some of the items weight in excess of 70k. Our Romanian translator Nicu has promised extra hands - some of his friends - to help with the unloading.

We understand that this particular Sunday will be Poppy Day and, as there is a War Memorial in the centre of of the village of Danes close to the school, it is intended to visit the the memorial at 11am. We are not sure if any parade will take place locally.

Monday 10th - Wednesday 12th November 2008

The Family Boxes will be delivered to the respective families in Danes and new, up to date, Family Information Forms and photographs will be obtained. The aid for the school in Danes and the music school in Sighisoara will also be delivered.

We are hoping that the weather will be kind to us this November as last year, at this same time, it was below freezing and snowing.

Thursday 13th November 2008

The aid for Ploiesti and Gageni will be loaded into the vans and the team will set off again to follow its tracks along the route back towards Ploiesti. It is hoped that all the aid for the disabled association in Ploiesti will be delivered later that day or during the evening. We will be met in Ploiesti by our two translators Andreea & Lia.

Friday 14th - Monday 17th November 2008

The Family Boxes will be delivered to the respective families in Gageni and new, up to date, Family Information Forms and photographs will be obtained here also. The aid for the school in Gageni will be delivered.

Tuesday 18th November 2008

The team will travel back to Otopini Airport in Bucharest where they will leave the two hired vans and 4 wheel drive vehicle to be ready for the flight back to Manchester arriving back in the UK at 8.20pm.

Due to the nature of the work we carry out in Romania and the many problems, despite the good planning, we can experience the above may be altered. A word that has ALWAYS been employed when we are on a humanitarian aid trip in Romania is 'FLEXIBLE'.

What will happen is that ALL the aid we take to Romania will be delivered by us personally to those to whome it was intended, regardless of what problems or obsticles we encounter.

24th August 2008

Due to unforseen logistical problems the proposed humanitarian aid trip to Romania planned for September 2008 has had to be put back by eight weeks to November 2008.

This is a dissapointment but the extra weeks in preparation will ensure that we have sufficient experienced aid workers to help unload and deliver the boxes of aid to the families and other groups while we are there.

The large number of families we are helping this year, with the inception of the Adopt a Family Project, has meant much more paperwork and planning than we have had to complete in the past.

It is imperative that we get the aid out to the poor families in the rural areas of Romania before the winter fully sets in.

November is not the first choice of months for travelling out to Romania to deliver aid but we have very good knowledge of what to expect as far as the weather is concerned and have the experienced personel on board now to ensure that all the aid is delivered without major problems.

One aspect which has really effected us this year is the increase in transport costs - over £1000 more than May 2007. However when this is set along side the value of the goods we have collected and the number of needy Romanians we touch whilst on the aid trip it is, in fact, very good value for money.

More funding is still needed and any donations would be very helpfull even at this stage of the planning.

Weighing some of the 100 pieces of special equipment for disabled children and preparing the transportation paperwork in readiness for the

Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip to Romania November 2008.

Corinne & Kath in our storage wagon sorting and packing clothing

for poor families in the rural villages of Gageni & Danes for the

Drop in the Ocean Humanitarian Aid Trip 2008

1st August 2008

It's all hands to the pumps, so to speak, at the moment for the Oak Tree team and all their helpers and supporters.

Provisional dates in September 2008 have been set down for the Drop in the Ocean Project 2008 to take place taking much needed humanitarian aid out to families and other groups in Romania

Saturday 22nd March 2008

Syngenta Limited at Alderly Edge, Cheshire have kindly donated five pallets of computer equipment to Oak Tree which will be transported over to Romania and split between two village schools and a children disabled association.

Pictured below is Martin Williams and David MCasey from Syngenta waiting to load the pallets on to the back of the Oak Tree wagon:

Tuesday 18th March 2008

Collection of donated clothing, toys and educational supplies from the residents of Wessen Court, Marsden, Huddersfield.

Although not our youngest supporters the residents have been supporting Oak Tree for many years and have again been busy knitting and collecting vital basic aid for poor families in the villages of Romania.

Pictured below is Mrs Margaret Leyland just finishing the boxes and bags ready to be handed over:

9th February 2008

Oak Tree Foundation launches its appeal for help from groups in the

Drop in the Ocean Family Box Project 2008.

An appeal has gone out to individuals and members of church groups, Mother's Unions, WI, Cubs, Scouts, Guides & Brownies, Social Groups to Adopt a Family.

OTF have for many years delivered Family Boxes of clothing to a large number of poor and needy children and their families but this year they have over 60 families to support.

Help is needed and that is why this appeal has been made.

Any group that offers help will be more of less adopting the family for this years project and will be given details of the family, the number of adults, children and their sizes so that the clothing transported to Romania will fit the person who receives it. That means NO WASTE.

Everything is needed from shoes and socks to underclothes and coats. We do not expect new clothing but as long as it fit that will be OK. A guide the OTF members have used in the past is

' Would I wear it? Would I put that on my child to wear?'

If the answer is yes then it is suitable to be donated and used in Romania.

Help and assistance will be given to each group into how to go about things and what else can be put into the boxes ( like toothpaste and brushes). We will also provided the boxes for packing.

A photograph of the family being helped will also be given to the group so they can actually see who it is that will be receiving their gifts of help.

After the project the OTF will give up dates to the various groups as to how their adopted family is doing.

Anyone interested should look at the special page on this web site or contact the OTF via the contact page or using the telephone numbers supplied.

1st February 2008

News came in this week of the death of Elena Szasz the 32 year old mother of eight in Sighisoara, Romania.

We understand that Elena died from cancer on the 27th November 2007, and what makes this such sad news, this was just three weeks after she gave birth to her eighth child.

Members of the OTF have know Elena and her children for a number of years and we know that the family are devastated. There are now concerns over what will happen to the children of the family as father is out of work and unable to support them.

OTF are working closely with a local Christian charity - VERITAS - in Sighisoara to help the family and try to ensure that they are not split up and and the children placed into homes.

OAK TREE FOUNDATION

Helping Romanian Children - U K Registered Charity No. 1090392