BLUES TOGETHER

Thursday 29 July 2010

WELL WHAT AN EMOTIONAL DAY

Today the container was loaded with the bus and six pallets of kit, training gear, laptops, books, a kids bike a scooter and a partridge in a peartree (well maybe not the last one) Alex and Howard were there to lend a hand Neil Cole was there from Endermol to film the conatiner being loaded - So the journey begins the container if off the Felixstowe where it will be loaded aboard the ship bound for various ports but due to arrive in Freetown on 26th August - we, that is Tony, Alex, Howard, Sir Paul Lake, Neil Cole and me will be leaving on the early morning Heathrow shuttle on the 25th then out of Heathrow again heading for Freetown we should be at the hotel about 9pm on the same day - we then go to meet the boat the following day - heres hoping its on time (everything is crossed)

There is a very busy itinerary whilst we are there Armani has contacted the minister for sport and various media outlets that want the story - we will be going to various schools - we will attending at least two matches of MCFC SL - on the Saturday we will be handing out training gear and kit to the teams at our hotel - on the Sunday it will be the official handover of the bus outside the SL National stadium etc

Endermol will be filming the entire trip and you will be able to see and hear this on BBC radio Manchester and BBC North West - there may also be a video blog done for BBC NW

I have been asked not to release any photos of the bus just yet as we want it to be a suprise in SL but I will post a pic if possible on here soon of the container being loaded - there will be a big article including photos of the bus in the Liverpool match day programme

So its all go from here guys - I reackon we may add just a little water to the docks on the 26th - can't see there being a dry eye so to speak

Thanks again for all your support - and please remember we are still collecting

Thanks Phil

Tuesday 27 July 2010

Dart Board

Just back from the doctors where I had to have injections for Polio, Diptheria, Tetnus, Hepertitus A, Typhoid and a blood test feel like a dart board - thats after having yellow fever jab a few weeks ago then there are the Maleria tabs to be taken all 40 of them - not easy getting all this right - Visas are applied for - forms filled in - letter of support for visa etc etc

But it will all be worth it when we deliver the bus

Sunday 25 July 2010

OK - HERE WE GO - ITS ALL ON FOR THE 26TH AUGUST

THE BUS WILL LEAVE MANCHESTER ON THURSDAY NOW AND WILL ARRIVE IN SIERRA LEONNE ON 26TH AUGUST - WAITING TO MEET IT WILL BE TONY GRIIFITHS (TAKE A BOW MY MAN YOU STARTED ALL THIS ) ALEX CHANNON, HOWARD BURR , SIR PAUL LAKE (WELL HE SOULD BE) , NEIL COLE (CAMERAMAN FOR ENDERMOL AND OFFICIAL OUTLET FOR M.C.F.C.) AND "LITTLE" ME

THINGS ARE BEGGINING TO SHAPE UP FOR THE TRIP WE ARE ALL HAVING YELLOW FEVER JABS PLUS OTHER SORE INJECTIONS AND STOCKING UP ON ANTI MALERIA TABS - FLIGHTS ARE BOOKED FOR HEATHROW TO FREETOWN ON 25/8/10 AND RETURNING 6 DAYS LATER (LETS HOPE THE BOAT IS NOT TOO LATE - THE CONTAINER ASWELL AS HAVING THE BUS IN WILL ALSO CONATAIN A LOT OF KIT DONATED BY FANS AND MAN CITY HAVE DONATED A LOT OF STUFF WHICH WE ARE VERY GRATFUL FOR - WE WILL ALSO BE TAKING VARIOUS CLOTHING FOR THE GENERAL COMMUNITY DONATED FROM THE FANS - ALSO WE HAVE 30 BOXES OF TEXT BOOKS FOR A SCHOOL CHARITY - AND A VERY GENEROUS DONATION OF A NUMBER OF LAPTOPS TO HAND OUT

WE WILL BE VERY BUSY WHILST THERE - THIS IS NO JOLLY - THE SPORTS MINISTER FOR SIERRA LEONE - THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR - THE MEDIA IN SIERRA LEONE - THE SCHOOLS - THE PEOPLE OF FREETOWN - THE CAMERMAN FROM ENDERMOL - THE BBC - WILL ALL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BUSY - WE WILL BE YOUR AMBASSADORS IN SIERRA LEONE AND M.C.F.C. AMBASSADORS WE TAKE THIS RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY AND WILL LEAVE SIERRA LEONE HAVING MADE A VERY POSITIVE IMMPRESSION I CAN ASSURE YOU

I WILL POST PHOTOS OF THE BUS VERY SOON - I DO NOT HAVE THE TEASING SKILLS TO REVEAL SLOWLY LIKE THE NEW KIT - BUT WATCH THIS SPACE

WE WILL TRY TO BLOG EVERY DAY IN SIERRA LEONE AND I WILL GET SOME OF THE GUYS TO POST HERE INCLUDING ARMANI AND OTHERS CONNECTED TO MCFC SIERRA LEONE - I WILL THEN GIVE THEM THIS SITE TO KEEP UPDATING THEIR PROGRESS WHEN WE LEAVE

THERE IS STILL TIME TO DONATE KIT, CLOTHES, BOOTS, TRAINING GEAR, SCHOOL STUFF ETC ETC SO LONG AS IT IS WITH US BY THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK IT WILL BE IN THE CONTAINER

WE STILL NEED DONATIONS AS WE STILL HAVE MONIES OWED FOR THE BUS ALSO IMPORT TAXES, INSURANCE OF THE BUS, TAX - FUEL ETC ETC - PLEASE GIVE NOW

THE ANNUAL SIX A SIDES IN NORTHEN IRELAND WILL BE HELD NEXT SUNDAY 1ST AUGUST AND ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE GOING TO THE APPEAL - GIVE - GIVE - GIVE

Saturday 24 July 2010

since I left for spain

Hazel grove have donated £90 thanks so much guys

dramatic stuff the guys have had the bus delivered - we have arranged the trip to SL to deliver said bus and it has been liveried - I have pics but am not at liberty for the next few days to post any but very soon - more exciting that the new kit I promise you - we still owe monies tho' please please keep giving - the best team and fans in ALL the world - there will also be a blog network permitting when we go to SL to deliver the bus - the BBC are covering the story as is Endermol and $ky etc etc - get geared up for a roller coaster of a ride and buy an extra box of kleenex towards the end of August you will need it I promise - special thanks to Paul L you know who you are and what you have done Brilliant my man

All this goes to prove that all City / football fans are not typecaste and when like minds are applied mountains can be moved

I HAD A DREAM !!!!!

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Donations

Hi guys have been in spain for the last 10 days and not home until Sat - but whilst iI have been here we have had three more donations two of 100 pounds and one of 25 pounds thanks very much guys - your generosity is very much appreciated - so thanks again to Martin Markus and Miles

Saturday 10 July 2010

The Presentation

Tony and Howard hove now been invited to the Hazel Grove Branch also news is travelling fast that this is a great presentation by the guys at the branch meeting - so if you want the guys at your branch you can contact them by e mail reddishblues@btinternet.com Howard - tony@griffiths7786.fsnet.co.uk Tony

bring the kleenex - lots of footie gear and loads of dosh

Thankyou

Just recieved a donation of £100 from Miles in London thankyou for your generosity

Thursday 8 July 2010

GREAT NEWS ....FANTASTIC

Since I last wrote we were contacted by the club who thought this a great idea - we had a meeting with Garry Cooke who was really impressed and asked could the club get involved in helping us raise the monies to make this happen - Paul Lake (yes the Paul Lake) was given the task of liasing with us and helping raise enough - this happened a while ago but we could not say anything until we knew what was going to happen so sorry for the wait - As we know this started out as a CSA venture BUT through this appeal and talking to the OSC and the club - It was decided by a landslide to unite the two supporters clubs again into one - the first meeting of the new Manchester City Supporters Club took place on Sunday 4th July - where Tony gave a talk on Sierra Leone which was well recieved - so this is now truly a fund raising effort by ALL City fans under the new banner.

The fund raising continues and all donations are more than gratefully recieved - they are life changing and life saving so thanks and keep it rolling in.

When Garry Cooke got involved he set a deadline for the delivery of the bus and I am pleased to say that we are on target for that delivery on the 16th August (I might add here that although the bus is now purchsed we owe monies so need to keep collecting)

The bus is as I type on its way to Liverpool we expect it to arrive next week and be liveried up with all the logos including the new MCFC supporters club logo - it will then be shipped to Sierra Leone where Tony Griffiths, Howard Burr, Alex Channon, Paul Lake and possibly other representatives from the Football Club and myself will be there to meet it and deliver to MCFC Sierra Leone and Armani - this is the culmination of a lot of effort and hard work by so many people and it continues - just tonight Tony and Howard were at a supporters club meeting of the Poynton Branch giving "the talk" which was very well recieved and there were donations of City shirts and a collection made - both Tony and Howard have asked me to say that they are available to give "the talk" to your supporters club - you will not be dissapointed its a great story it really is.

We cant thank the Club enough in particular Garry Cooke and Paul Lake - but everyone has been fantastic - we had kit donated - the web site will follow our trip to deliver the bus - there are too many to mention but our heartfelt thanks goes to EVERYONE who has been involved in helping or donatiing in anyway whatever - without you it would not have happened - but please remember the appeal goes on we need enough to clear the bus and taxes insurance etc - we also need kit donating preferably City stuff but any football realted gear including boots training gear balls nets anything that we cram into that conatainer.

City fans still amaze me after 49 years of following this club - please take a bow all you blues - maybe in my 50th year we might wi....... no I wont go there

City as a club were always fan friendly and went the extra mile for the fans and families - when we were taken by over there were those who thought here we go another rags or chelski etc - I am here to tell you - the heart of Man City is is great shape and if anything is going to get even more fan friendly esp with the unification - I am proud of my football club - how many can say that in this day and age long may it continue CTID thankyou Sheikh Mansour