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Weekly launches fundraising bid for African children

A Surrey journalist will visit Uganda as part of his a campaign to raise money to improve life for children living in poverty.

Chief reporter at the Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser Sam Blackledge will make the journey as part of the newspaper’s newly launched Advertiser For Africa campaign which is being run with local charity East African Playgrounds.

The aim is to raise as much money as possible to provide safe play equipment for youngsters in Uganda and Kenya.

Sam will travel to Uganda in September as part of a team of 70 volunteers from across the country. He will spend two weeks helping with the charity’s work in Jinja and Iganga, reporting back on how the money raised from the campaign is helping young people.

Said Sam: “When I first found out about the charity last year I was inspired by their work, and the opportunity to go out to Africa and experience it first-hand seemed too good to pass up.

“By launching this campaign we hope to strengthen the links between Surrey and Uganda and make a real difference to the lives of hundreds of children.”

Over the next six months, the newspaper is asking local schools, youth groups, community organisations and sports teams – and anyone else who is willing – to host events and raise funds to help the worthwhile charity.

Founder Carla Powell, 24, from Brockham, who runs the charity with her partner Tom Gill, 26, said: “We would love to get more people from Dorking and Leatherhead to come out and volunteer with us, so having the Advertiser on board is a great start.”

To make a donation to Advertiser For Africa, visit the Advertier’s JustGiving page.

East African Playgrounds takes out small teams of volunteers to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, building playgrounds for schools, orphanages and other charities.

 

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  • March 27, 2012 at 9:17 am
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    Play equipment? Isn’t food and clean water the priority in Africa?

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