Georgie, Bethan and Helen waiting for the bus to take us to the Global Sources pick up, a bi-annual event at which Crossroads gathers a huge amount of brand new and very lovely 'stuff' that will later be sent to people in need in Hong Kong and all over the world.
Cecile and Helen D
Kent, Elizabeth and Suzanne
Katrina and Julie
Boarding The Bus
Global Sources here we come
Cecile, Julia, Helen, Georgie, Bethan, Anna and Raph at the Global Sources fair
The Baby Products and Bathroom Supplies team: Christy, Bethan and Julia - assessing the map and devising a plan of attack
Georgie, Suzanne and Helen
The whole team being briefed on the do's and don'ts and ins and outs of the crazy night ahead of us...
Philski speaking to a supplier about the possibility of leaving stuff behind for us. In many cases people are only too happy not to have to pack everything up and pay for shipping to get it back to where they came from. And they feel good that their things will be used for the good of others in need.
One example of the beautiful quality of the goods that can be left behind for us to collect.
The first trickling of goods comes 'back to base' where Katrina and others will sort it and get it ready for transporting back to Crossroads.
Here it comes!
Lovely stuff!
Piles of it...
All carried from the 10 massive halls, back to our collection point...
The collection grows...
And grows...
And grows!
Packed and loaded onto trucks... It's about 5 hours since we started and 4 truck fulls of stuff to be packed up. A good nights work...
Rolls of tent sheeting destined for those left homeless in China after the earthquake.
Plus clothing and blankets...
Many tonnes of plastic sheeting...
Mal and Julie happily seeing off the donation...
Heavy rolls of sheeting that need loading onto trucks require muscles!
Many hands make light work...
And now for some suits... you can't get a donation of 20,000 suits and not indulge in a little fashion parade!
This mottley crew scrubs up ok
A sudden outbreak of mushrooms, also brings out the photographers!
And curious onlookers...
The warm wet weather brings out the mosquitos. They breed in the drains that are full of lovely decomposing leaves and things... my neighbour John had the bright idea of cleaning out our drains.
And unearthed the world's largest worm in the process. Note the small paint scraper to the left for a sense of proportion.
There's a cute doggy. Pippin posing her best side for the camera...
Happy is a dog on a morning walk...
A little Communications Department birthday moment for Suzanne... from left: Lin, Suzanne, Raph, me, Kara, Helen Mottee and Kate.
A baby shower for Christy... painting some white t-shirts for the baby.
Food, of course.
Mothers and babies... Sheila with little Jeania.
Christy playing 'what flavour of baby food is this?'
Whiz, Christy and Christine...
Riba looking pretty at Hilary's birthday bbq.
Kara and me...
Mike
Sheila and Jeania
Jeania making inroads on the bread...
Leanne and Zoe
Leanne and Zoe with Suzanne
The all day erection of The Tent
Note the hard hats. It's a serious tent people. It came with 2 men to teach the construction procedure.
Impressive!
Inside the tent on World Refugee Day, with the Green Valley Youth choir giving us a preview performance
Backdrops with refugee focus...
Handmade carts for the food to be served at the evening event
Fair trade goods for sale inside a UNHCR tent.
Mike and Helen testing out the 'red carpet'
Soldier Pablo keeping the VIP guests in order.
Riba and Helen (yes another Helen!) enforcing signing in of refugees (guests) to the camp...
Guests must show their ID to the welcoming committee.
Camp food!
Julia and Anna serving refreshments.
Chief in Mongolian dress... a little sweaty in there I imagine.
Lanka serving Chai and other indian fare.
Rajni and Sushma with more indian treats.
Cecilia, Lanka and Jim.
Julia and Elizabeth.
Mingling guests at The Camp
Helen's new CD for sale.
A little man and his dad (Matt n Alex)
Leanne waiting for the concert to begin
Helen Mottee with Selma and Hamada who both sang backing vocals on her new album
DJ introducing the evening... (note the cool banner in the background)
Head of UNHCR in China making a long speech.
Green Valley Youth Choir
Helen Mottee with Bethan, Selma and Oliva singing songs from her new album 'Letters from the 5th Estate'.
Helen singing "Do You" with the choir
Soldiers for effect... and it was quite an effect. Really left people with something to think about.
Next day... Alex in the empty tent
Bethan and Helen singing at a lunch time concert.
DJ introducing the films for the film festival.
A group from my "Sunday Club" visiting for the Crossroads open day and film festival: Mel, Sally, Jen Chen and Sonia
