Latest News.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO FIG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we asked the Culture committee how we could help with the ‘Fethiye Cultural Week’, held at the beginning of May we did not expect to be told that we could buy some mud!  Çamur, we found also translates as clay and indeed we bought a generous supply of clay from Izmir so that some talented artists could teach school children how to make models and statues.

Also, through the diligent organisation and contacts made by Jane Akatay we were able to fund the travels costs of the star celebrity of the week, Louis de Berniѐre and enjoy a superb afternoon with him in Gunay’s Garden in Kaya, enjoying hearing him read from his book Birds without wings and being able to talk to him.

On Thursday 16^th June, Sue Tekin, on behalf of FIG, and especially all the volunteers who actively support FIG, by working in the shop and at the coffee morning, received from the Tertip committee, who organised the 4^th Fethiye Cultural week, a framed certificate of thanks.

FIG was thanked, not only for their contribution to that week, but also for their ongoing fundraising and special support they have given to many local schools, and for the facility that FIG gives to many foreigners to contribute to the local society in this way.

 

 

 

 

SCHOOL VISITS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Friday 27^th May we visited the school in Gökben to deliver the special books that were donated from the money raised by Pat & Eric from their wedding anniversary celebrations earlier this year.  Gökben is a small village with only 22 pupils this year and just 2 teachers.  There are 10 in the nursery class and 11 in years 1 & 2; next year there will be a few more in both classrooms with about 5 pupils graduating to year 3. and the nursery intake graduating to year 1.  We also took some craft materials and stationery to donate and found that amazingly the teacher of years 1-3 turned out to be one of Pat and Eric’s neighbours!  We had great fun talking to the students, who loved the sweets that Margaret and others delighted in giving them.  They also had an unusual visitor in the playground, a dark coloured donkey, who had decided to sit in the yard taking little notice of what was going on around him until he decided to move nearer a friend of his tethered nearby.  Whilst we drank some welcome tea, the children spent some time gathering wild flowers as gifts for all of us before we left.

During this visit we ascertained that they urgently needed paint for the interior, a new wood burning stove and a water depot to be installed in the toilet area – as the water supply was intermittent, especially in the summer.  Due to Gill Frearson’s efficiency these have now all been bought and delivered to the school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silkar school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Thursday 2^nd June we made a quick return visit to Silkar school in Günükbaşı; this was to view the new furniture that we bought for them from the toy shop Dededen.  There were tables chairs, cupboards for books and toys and cupboards for coats and shoes and bookcases, all in beautiful colours, so now this enthusiastic nursery class teacher has all the furniture she needs for her class, which is just as well as she expects some 25 pupils next year!  We were treated to some songs and recitations before we had to leave to visit the school in Ortaköy, details of that visit can be found in a seperate article.  Well done to all FIG supporters who have made all this possible.

 

 

SPECIAL NEEDS

Having subsidised a local Thalasseamia patient to attend the International Conference on the illness held in Antalya last weekend we are looking forward to a meeting on the 26^th to learn more about what they learned and what they can contribute back to the local group.  Meanwhile several of the families are taking advantage of the voucher system we have introduced at our shop.

 

CRAFT SALE

We plan our next one for 14th September.  The venue is already booked and we expect the opening hours to be from 6pm—10.30pm.

 

 

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Many people appreciate FIG and support the good work it does so why not offer your services to help carry the responsibility of administering and raising a budget of around 50,000TL annually with every sign that this sum will increase.  The committee needs to be reorganised and enlarged to help share the load for all our volunteers.  If you have skills in fundraising, management, writing publicity, PR work, managing a charity shop and generally lending a hand then please make yourself known and start playing a role informally in preparation for formal elections later this year.

 

 

 

 

Fethiye International Group