A History of Buskit
Around 18 years ago, the first meeting to plan the logistics of our very first trip took place. The fact that the meeting happened at all was due to the popularity of the ?Aneka Rice' television programme. Viewers were horrified by the vivid pictures of abject poverty that was the day to day reality for the majority of Romanians. (A large percentage of whom were children!) A group of friends who in their spare time were local amateur entertainers, decided there and then that we should physically go and do something about it.
Within a short and frenetic several weeks, Buskit besides having a name, had the basic bones of a ?plan of attack'. An all important reconnaissance visit to the town of Zalau, in the north west of Romania took place in April of that year. On their return our intrepid travellers supplied the information that allowed us to formulate the plans for our first trip.
The first Humanitarian trip by ?Buskiteers' took place in September of 1992 and consisted of a 38 ton articulated lorry and a very well worn former school bus. It was used to transport around 40 amateur entertainers with varying skills and insurance policies!
Included amongst that first group of Buskiteers were a group of senior pupils who came from Lornshill Academy in Alloa, Falkirk High School and also Grangemouth High School.
Once in Zalau the Buskiteers were subjected to various experiences which after several days and nights left us confused, drained and full of mixed emotions. How could this have happened to a people who were not all that different from us? Why had they allowed themselves to be subjected to the mindless tyranny that eventually left them as a nation, so desperately poverty stricken?
On our return we were exhausted but after a few weeks and a period of reflection, a number of us decided that we had started something that we had to continue. The years that followed were abundant with experiences which most of us will never forget. There of course were unpleasant moments and memories, but a much larger proportion of our Buskit life was crammed with wonderful and treasured experiences. Please allow me to reflect on the last fifteen years with Buskit.
Ø 1992 - First meeting in February. ?Recce' to Zalau in April. First trip to Romania in September with articulated lorry and coach load of 40 entertainers and volunteers. (Whilst unloading, a donated defribulator saved a hospital patient's life!) Grangemouth High Pupils who participated in this trip were Joanne Davidson,Gaynor Hamilton and James Ferguson.
Ø 1993 - Buskit is recognised as an official charity receiving the charity number SC 020917. Second humanitarian aid trip to Zalau in April with articulated lorry. Met a further six volunteers who flew to Romania. In August four Buskiteers fund-raised by cycling to Romania whilst taking with them a donated and fully refurbished ambulance to Zalau hospital.
Ø 1994 - In April a third aid trip with a lorry. Again met volunteers who flew to Zalau. In August there followed a much larger group visit. This consisted of an articulated lorry with another busload of Buskit entertainers and volunteers Included, were senior pupils from Falkirk High and Grangemouth High School (Gavin Orr, Julie Kennedy, Kirsten Jack, Ian Nicholson, Ben Cairns and former pupil Greg Drysdale.) They joined forces with three Scottish Prison Service volunteers, transporting aid in a 7.5 ton truck. In October of that year we sent a further lorry with humanitarian aid to Zalau.
Ø 1995 - In August of that year an articulated lorry met up with around fifteen fliers in Zalau. These again included amongst their number ?Duke of Edinburgh Award' senior pupils from Falkirk High School and volunteers from Grangemouth High School. (Some of the previous trip volunteers from GHS returning to Zalau)
Ø 1996 - In April a group of around fifteen fliers and entertainers flew to Zalau and entertained as well as refurbishing two village clinics near Zalau. In August of that year the first humanitarian trip to Minsk in Belarus took place.
Ø 1997 - August saw the second trip to Belarus with humanitarian aid.
Ø 1998 - In August of that year in conjunction with another three S.P.S. volunteers, we installed a playground in a particularly deprived area of Zalau.
Ø 1999 - In April we delivered the third cargo of humanitarian aid to Minsk. Later that year in August we took a fourth consignment of aid to Minsk.
Ø 2000 - In August we delivered our fifth humanitarian aid cargo to Minsk.
Ø 2001 - In August our sixth consignment of humanitarian aid was enhanced by the inclusion of fourteen volunteers including eight senior pupils from Grangemouth High School. We purchased and installed fire prevention systems within the Children in Trouble hostel and refurbished the toilet and shower area. The group of young volunteers provided entertainment in several hospitals. They were Louise Allison,Caroline Burnside, Kelly McShane, Stephen Morton, MhairiAnn Vickers, Laura O'Donnal, Colin Glen and Chris Blair.
Ø 2002 - In July our seventh consignment of humanitarian aid was delivered. The volunteers included Louise, Caroline, Kelly, Stephen, MhariAnn, Colin and Chris. The list of volunteers was increased by the addition of Paula Marshall, Lisa Halley, Fiona Andrews and Jamie O'niell. They decorated a ward in the Children's Communicable Disease Hospital which featured Disney Cartoons and entertained in four different children's hospitals around Minsk.
Ø 2003 - In July we delivered our eighth humanitarian cargo of donations. All of the students from 2002 returned along with Susan Colliar ,Gemma Rankine, and Kirsty Weir. We were joined by 5 Scottish Prison Service volunteers who installed a complete outdoors Play Area for the Childrens' Communicable Disease Hospital. The younger volunteers decorated another complete children's ward in the same hospital and then entertained in another five hospitals. We were featured on two television news programmes in Belarus and concluded our stay by donating £10,500 pounds in order that the hospital that we were working in could purchase a much needed Blood Analyser. We also donated £1,500 to Children in Trouble.
Ø 2004 - Again in July we delivered our ninth cargo of humanitarian aid.
The students who travelled with us this time included Stephen Morton, Mahriann Vickers and Caroline Burnside(all completing their 4th trip), Kirsty Weir, Susan Colliar and Gemma Rankine on their second trip and John Love, Stephen Russell and David Sedgwick on their first trip. With the group we welcomed the camaraderie and services of some new SPS volunteers along with Kenny Muir and group leader Stevie Findlay.
The projects undertaken were the painting of a corridor , a Hydrotherapy room, a Dental Surgery and the dining room of a nearby rehab centre by our trusty students.
Meanwhile at the hostel which is operated by Children in Trouble, 2 SPS volunteers and one of our own volunteers, refurbished the kitchen and the toilet/shower area.
Andy then moved to the kid's Oncology hospital and installed a brand new kitchen , including floor and wall cupboards ,a sink and a double oven and hob.
Outside the Oncology hospital the other SPS volunteers installed a large outdoor play area similar to the one they completed in 2003. Once again this work was the subject of another visit by Belarussian TV.
We then entertained in four of the facilities that we either worked in or had been to in previous years.
We finished our trip by donating all of the money that we had left from our fund raising efforts over the previous year. This included:
$2,000 to the rehabilitation centre for sports equipment.
$2,000 to the Kids Communicable Disease hospital.
$11,500 to Children in Trouble.
Ø 2005 - This trip saw 30 volunteers travel to Minsk, and we delivered our 10th cargo of humanitarian aid. Some of our volunteers were visiting for the fifth time.(Stephen Morton, Mhairi Anne Vickers, and Caroline Burnside) we also saw the return of one or two volunteers from previous years. The group besides having yet again the benefit of various skills from Scottish Prison Service volunteers, had as a member, a reporter from BBC Scotland who wrote a half hour radio show based on her experiences with us and which was broadcast later in the year. (Joanne's Journey)
This year we completed the following projects:
· Delivered 23 tons of food, baby clothes, children's clothes, toys, computers, and a children's play area.
· Refurbished two of the bedrooms in the Surganov Strada Hostel.
· Refurbished and installed new wall and floor units, in three of the kitchens in the Children's Oncology Hospital.
· Painted the corridor and two of the side rooms in a handicap drop-in centre in Barisov.
· Travelled to 5 respite centres/hospitals to give concerts.
· Gave two days of art/music/movement/ games workshops in various respite centres.
· Donated $2,000 to the Children's Oncology Hospital.
· Donated $17,000 dollars to our Belarussian sister charity Children In Trouble to assist them with their work with sick children.
Ø 2006 - This year was our 10th year of working with our partners ?Children In Trouble' and coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. The group consisted of 19 volunteers:
Mhairi Anne Vickers (6th visit) Hannah Campbell Marion Stannage
Susan Colliar Anna Baker Brian Smith
David Sedgwick Emma George Allan Gibson
Steven Russell Ryan Buckle Cameron McFarlane
Laureen Thompson Gavin Scott Laurence Denholm
Emma McWilliams Louise Russell
This year we completed the following projects :
ü Delivered approximately 20 tons of humanitarian aid.
ü Painted the reception area of a ward in Barovliany Children's Cancer Hospital.
ü Built a sheltered seat near the play park at Barovliany.
ü Performed at 5 concerts.
ü Held music, art, dance and outdoor game workshops at Ostroshitsky Gorodok.
ü Donated approximately $17,000 to Children In Trouble in order to allow them to continue their work.
I would like to commend all the work of our ?Buskiteers' in Minsk 2K6.
· 2007 - This year's trip coincided with our 15th year as a Humanitarian Charity and the 11th year of our association with Belarus.
There were 23 travellers this year including the two drivers, and they were;
Marion Stanage Amy Anderson Anna Baker
Susan Colliar Larry Denholm Nicola Eddie
Charmaine Hogg Alan Jenkins Sara Johnson
John Leebody Linda McFarlane Emma McWilliams
Steven Russell Brian Scott Gavin Scott
Graeme Smith Eileen Wardrop Alan Wardrop
Cameron McFarlane Ryan Buckle Brian Smith
The larger group flew into Minsk on the 11th of July and although we managed to unload the music equipment we were not allowed to take anything else from the lorry due to problems with custom clearance.
Over the next two days we were not able to do much due to problems with customs. We did manage to play at two concerts, the first being for children who were from the Chernobyl area and this proved to be a wonderful concert. We later visited Barovliany and managed to provide entertainment for the children who were well enough to attend our concert.
We were finally given customs clearance late on Friday afternoon and this allowed us to begin with our previously arranged programme of work.
Over the weekend we managed to provide a concert at Ostroshitsky and then hold our programme of workshops, which were enjoyed by both the children and ourselves. We then began some of our painting work in the upper foyer of the hospital at Barovliany, which we proceeded to finish over the course of the next two days. We also managed to provide another concert at a summer camp over that weekend.
On the Monday we completed some more of the painting work at Barovliany and then we were taken to a Woodcutter's village for a barbeque.
Tuesday saw the lorry depart for home whilst the final touches were put to the decorating project.
Despite the problems with customs clearance we managed to complete a very successful trip by donating nearly 12,000 dollars to Children In Trouble.
Ø 2008 This year 23 travellers returned to Belarus on what was our 16th trip.
It was not our most successful trip but we did complete most of what we set out to do.
11 new members came with us this year, and they were:
Holly Gordon, Jennifer Prentice, Louise Bennie, Alanah McLernon,
Kirsty Wood, Lesley Anne Graham, Jock McConville, Ralph Anderson, William Bowes, Gareth Alexander and driver Stevie Gilroy.
They travelled with 13 of our veterans and on this trip we managed to complete the following work:
· Delivered another 17 tons of humanitarian aid, which included over £6,000 of food and household cleaning materials.
· Performed at 7 concerts.
· Painted more of the corridors and wards in the kid's cancer hospital at Barovliany.
· We held more music/art/dance/outdoor game workshops at both Barovliany and Ostroshitsky.
Painted the surrounding fence at Ostroshitsky and installed new games posts in the outdoor games area.
· Donated $11,000 to Children In Trouble.
The complete restoration of the outdoor games area at Ostroshitsky that we planned as the main project for our guys from Marshall's did not take place. We have discussed this with Children in Trouble and we have taken steps to prevent this from happening again.
All in all though, it still proved to be another successful trip
Ø 2009 Our new members this year were :
Brian McEwan David Johnstone Colin Scott Amy Jones
Aimee McPheat Haley Whelan Pamela Ure
Our seasoned volunteers were:
Brian Smith Marion Stannage Eileen Wardrop John Leebody
Mhairi Anne Vickers Lesley Anne Graham Emma McWilliams
Ryan Buckle Brian Scott Louise Bennie Charmaine Hogg
Organising transport for our consignment of Humanitarian Aid has always had its problems. This year was no different and it was only through contacting Stevie Gilroy who had been our driver from last year and his employer J.C. Simpson, were we able to secure transport to Minsk.
This year we delivered another 18 tonnes of humanitarian aid which consisted of food bought from Asda (supplied from the Grangemouth superstore), baby clothes and toiletries, children's clothes, toys, prams and various buggies for the orphanage in Barisov, and specialist school furniture to furnish 2 classrooms in the ?Sluch' children's respite centre in Slutsk.
After customs clearance on Wednesday evening which allowed us to unload the goods to be delivered to CIT in Minsk, this allowed us to unload at their warehouse early on Thursday morning.
On finishing unloading we travelled to Barisov Children's Oncology hospital to perform our first concert. We then travelled on to the ?Planeta' summer camp to perform our second concert. A tiring and successful day!
Friday consisted of another very frustrating ?customs wait' after which we travelled to the Sluch respite centre in Slutsk. We were then taken to our accommodation for the next two nights.
On Saturday we painted most of the outdoor games and seating facilities, situated in the rear gardens of Sluch, taking a slightly longer lunch period due to being rained off.
This did give an opportunity for our group to play indoor games with a sizeable group of kids from the centre. The painting work was completed by lunchtime on the Sunday, thereafter we played two concerts for the kids in the centre.
In the evening we returned to Minsk and to our favourite hotel '40 Let Pobedy'. (?40 years of victory')
On Monday we performed to a packed hall at Zdanovichy and later in the afternoon at Ostroshitsky Gorodok.
On the Tuesday morning the lorry left to return to the UK., and the main group visited the sanatorium at Novinki district in Minsk.
There they had one of the most instructive and fulfilling days of the trip. They played outdoor games and helped in the crafts room, enjoying the company of kids who have been afflicted with multiple health problems and are to all intents and purposes orphans.
This year we donated $500 to Children In Trouble in Slutsk in order that they could repair their roof. They were on the verge of closing the ?drop in' facility and office due to water ingress and dampness. We also left paint and wall paper for them to decorate once the work had been completed.
We were also able to leave another $7,500 to CIT in Minsk and although this was not as much as we have been able to do in previous years we were pleased that we were able to leave this much due to the present financial crisis. Thus ended our trip to MINSK 2K9 !
To date we have transported nearly 430 tons of humanitarian aid and approximately 245 humanitarian volunteers to both
Romania and Belarus. Since 2001 we have donated nearly £85,000 of food aid and over £80,000 of monetary aid, as well as completing many projects linked to the support of children who are trying to recover from serious illness.
Patron : The Countess of Mar and Kellie.
