Motivated by employee Jo Bromwich’s visit to a school in Gambia, Cambridge recruitment firm Pure Resourcing Solutions has packaged up over 100 Christmas presents and smashed an £800 fundraising target to build a much needed new toilet block for the school.

The firm’s fundraising and collection drive was inspired by recruitment consultant Jo and her husband Martin’s visit to Gambia in November. During the holiday the couple from Fen Ditton visited the Kitty Madarasul Al-huda School School, in the township of Kitty, on a trip organised by the charity Goal4Gambia.

Goal4Gambia is currently supporting the renovation of the run-down school and helping to provide essential supplies. Having seen firsthand the difficulties the teachers at the school were facing to provide simple things like weather proof conditions and basic equipment, Jo and Martin were galvanised to help. Touched by Jo’s stories of her visit, all her colleagues were keen to get involved.

The Just Giving page set up by the couple, who asked for donations instead of Christmas and birthday presents, soared over its original target of £800 in the first 24hrs. This will provide more than enough to build a new toilet block for the school’s 350 boys and girls aged between five and sixteen.

Jo said:

“Goal4Gambia has already done great work in making some of the eight classrooms weather proof so children can still have lessons during the 4 to 5 months of wet season. But we wanted to help them raise enough money to replace the terrible toilets. Currently there are only four which all have worn doors that won’t shut and dangerously old creaking concrete around the long drops. With no roof, they regularly get flooded causing raw sewage to flood into the school grounds."

“With support from our colleagues, friends, family and an anonymous donor we soared past our original target and have now raised £1,605. All the extra money will either be used to help continue weather proofing the school, or to add a pump and cover to the 25 metre well, which the children have to hang dangerously over each time they want to draw up water.”

Colleagues, friends and family have also provided items including toys, books, clothes, medicines and stationary to be packaged up and added to the charity’s next shipment to the school. To add to the parcel, Pure Resourcing Solutions also gave Jo some bright, educational posters to decorate the school walls instead of the usual birthday present from the company. The firm has also decided that instead of posting Christmas cards it will send e-cards and make a further donation to Goal4Gambia to help sponsor a teacher at the school.

Jo added:

“All the items will be so appreciated. It’s amazing how much difference something as simple as a pot of glue will make to them. Things like baby medicine which we can buy for £1 here and completely take for granted will be like gold dust to the parents trying to care for sick children in 44 degree heat."

“Despite their difficulties, we had an amazing welcome from the entire school. We were even given honorary names after the elders of the village with my name being Kaddy Barrow and Martin christened as Solomon.”

To make a donation visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JoannaBromwich4Goal4Gambia. Any local companies which are able to donate useful old equipment such as sports attire can also contact Jo on 01223 209888 or Joanna@prs.uk.com.