How the world has turned since we began fund-raising for the Yak Pack Theatre Project, originally planned for 2021, and now taking place in July 2022. Provided the course of Covid in the world doesn’t derail things of course.
As I write, the entry requirements ref Covid for India, would stop the project from going ahead, but things are improving all the time so hopefully soon things will change.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on all of our lives and societies, in so many ways. Spitian people have made huge sacrifices these past 2 years to keep their society safe, to the extent of closing their valley to the outside world for about a year. Happily they have suffered little by way of disease from Covid, and its good to hear that vaccinations are available in Spiti. Of course, they have suffered in many other ways too, for example the impact on mental health. As in the UK , there is the huge detrimental effect of disrupted education to contend with over the coming years – and in Spiti there is barely any internet, let alone the capacity to move learning online.
Fund raising News
Thanks to everyone who has supported us this year.
To date we have raised over £2500 – more than half way there – incredible really considering the circumstances. A heartfelt thanks to all of you.
In May 2021 we visited Christchurch Infants School as part of their Geography project about Spiti. Children in Year 2 learn about somewhere else in the world which is different to their own experience – so Spiti is a great case study! We held an assembly and had a Q&A to discuss what the lives of children their age was like for kids in Spiti – how they got to school, what school life was like, what their homes looked like, what kind of jobs they helped with around the house, what games they played with friends. After that we held a dance workshop with each class, teaching them a traditional Spitian circle dance, to traditional music (much to the hilarity of our friends in Spiti!). The School donated £150 to the Yak Pack – thank you!
We had planned another Big Swish for March 2021, which after a few postponements, took place in September 2021. It was quite a small event, but so friendly and supportive, we had a lovely afternoon swapping our clothes! This raised £65.
During the summer months, Penny embarked on a sponsored healthy eating challenge. Being as healthy and fit as we can be is really important for all of us in visiting such a remote region – we don’t want to have any impact on local health systems, and being more than 4000m above sea level is hard work (never mind trekking and performing!)– especially when you usually live about 10m above sea level! Penny raised £115, lost about a stone in weight, and emerged healthier and fitter! Now, the rest of us need to copy her!!
And finally, The Big Swish clothes swap in Feb 2022 – the third time we’ve run one of these – and undoubtedly the best yet! There was a real buzz as people came together to swap clothes, drink coffee, chat and meet new people. The event raised £404!! An amazing total. In addition, we were delighted to donate some clothes to the Footprints Project who support people leaving the prison system or escaping domestic violence, so that they have clothes suitable for job interviews and work, as well as everyday life. We also donated 4 bags of kids clothes to The Dorset Childrens Foundation, who support local families with a disabled child. A huge thank you to our dream team of volunteers – Peta, Julia, Helen, Linda, Rosie, Anita and Mimi, who did an incredible job! And thank you to everyone who came along too!
Looking ahead
We’ll decide in May whether the Project can take place this year, or if we need to delay another year. Please keep your fingers crossed for us! Children all over the world have suffered so much from all the ramifications of Covid, and now is a really important time to hold events where people can reconnect, to boost children's confidence and self-esteem, to encourage imagination and creativity and literacy. We can see the difference this makes to our children in the UK – and in Spiti its no different.
In addition to fund-raising, we'll be really busy preparing for the project - thats mostly writing and rehearsing the play....and getting fit for the mountains!
APRIL 3RD - SkABBA @ at The Anvil Rockbar in Bournemouth
Yes, thats ska versions of ABBA classics – whats not to love! This is been postponed from Dec 2021, so if you had already bought tickets, they are still valid of course. Huge thanks to the band members for playing, and the Anvil for hosting us too! We can’t wait, its going to be a brilliant night out! Age 14+.
MAY/JUNE - The Big Swish clothes swap
We can't resist doing another one! Such a great way to meet like-minded people, get new clothes and find new homes for the ones you no longer wear, and support not just the Yak Pack but other local charities too.
JUNE - Performances of 'Rubbish Heap Rising'
During the next few months we’ll be adapting ‘Rubbish Heap Rising’ into play form ready for rehearsal in May. It’s the story of Little Red Riding Hood, kind of, through the lens of plastic pollution! There are craft workshops which run alongside, combining litter picks in our local community with prop-making for the show. The Yak Pack Theatre Project is a mirror project – we’ll be doing the same here as in Spiti because we all face the same issues – so you’ll be able to join a workshop and watch performances during June, before we head to Spiti in July - please do come along and see what its all about!
If you’d like to join the UK Yak Pack, we’ll need volunteers in June to help us run the workshops – please get in touch if you’d like to be involved! In Spiti, our fundraising will enable that to be a paid job for local creatives.
The performances will be an important part of our fund-raising, as well as a chance to see what the project is all about. We will be performing at The Red House Museum in Christchurch, and Black Cherry in Boscombe – and other places too! We’ll have a wish list of English books for the library in Spiti too, curated by Indian charity ‘Lets Open a Book’, so at some events you’ll be able to have a ticket in exchange for a book from the list.
JUNE - QUIZ NIGHT
We hope to hold a Family Quiz Night too, as our final fund-raising event. We had SUCH FUN doing that in 2018, we simply have to do another one!!
Thank you so much to everyone supporting the Yak Pack Theatre Project in so many ways – our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to all of you.