Winter has really come to Surrey with a vengeance - one
night last week the temperature here dropped to minus 9 degrees. I am sure
I was not the only villager who was longing for some warm Zimbabwean
sunshine.
Surprisingly the cold weather does not seem to bother the
flock of Ring necked or Rose necked Parakeets that we have in large numbers
here in Whiteley Village. Though originally from the Himalayas, there are
now estimated to be over 50,000 living in the UK, mostly in the Thames
area. It is thought that originally a single pair of breeding parakeets
were released or escaped in the mid 1990s - a more exotic theory is that Jimi
Hendrix released a pair in Carnaby Street in the 1960s.
The now feral birds are often seen hanging upside down on
our bird feeders comically screeching at the other wild birds as they
compete for the peanuts & sunflower seeds.
However in a local pet shop here, one would have to pay
upwards of £185 for a captive bred Ring necked Parakeet!
On receiving Christmas cards in December from friends in
Zimbabwe, I couldn't help noticing that one set of Zimbabwean stamps for 2014
depicted donkeys with wooden yokes on their necks pulling a "sledge"
- possibly the powers that be, did not realise that both are against the
law in Zimbabwe?.
Recently VAWZ veterinarians in Zimbabwe had asked VAWZ UK if
we could source some Artery Forceps for their current spaying campaign in the
rural areas.
One of our Trustees ex Zimbabwean vet Rob Reynolds,
contacted me to say that he would donate some as a "Christmas
present" to VAWZ.
He has now generously donated 30 pairs of these forceps, so
I am trying to find someone returning to Zimbabwe who could take the
parcel back for us, or even just a few forceps at a time? - please contact
me if you know someone coming back who could help as they are urgently
needed - (they will take up very little room in a suitcase!).
Thank you to Margaret Cavill & Sharron Tiffen, both whom
have taken items for VAWZ back to Zimbabwe for us - much appreciated.
VAWZ UK has also recently received donations from John &
Leonie Cullen, John is a vet from South Africa now living in the UK, & has
recently retired from working with Defra here, & also from Sarah Blunden -
donations such as these, ensure that the lives of animals in Zimbabwe are
improved & that the important work of VAWZ continues.
Whilst on that subject Mel Hood who heads VAWZ, has asked me
to remind the public that cases of cruelty or abuse of animals should
be reported to them.
Two more ex Zim folk living here in Whiteley
Village are, Eric & Lorraine Litster who left Zimbabwe in 2007. For
many years Eric taught Engineering Drawing & other allied building subjects
at several schools including Fletcher High in Gweru, Mzingwane in Essexvale,
Prince Edward School & finally at the Polytechnic in Harare.
His favourite pastimes were Ballroom Dancing at the Joan Turner
School of Dancing where he apparently excelled, winning many
medals, & also bowls which he played at Milton Park Bowling Club.
Lorraine (nee Emmanuel) also a teacher, taught at Nettleton
School in Cranborne, was Headmistress of Waterfalls Infant School, then
Headmistress at John McChlery in Hillside, finally I am sure many Harare
residents will remember her as the Head of St Giles School for the Disabled.
Lorraine also played bowls in Zimbabwe for over 40 years,
representing the club at District & National level - she says she
hopes that some of the "old" bowlers may still remember her?
Not prepared to totally retire yet, Lorraine does a sterling
job as the Librarian for the Village Library.
The friends that we left behind, some of them lifelong,
are never very far from our thoughts, and as another year begins we hope and
pray for some really meaningful changes for our beloved Zimbabwe.
Meryl Harrison
