BP Centre - Days 2 and 3

So the day began wit

h a very sensible 9.00am start, a very welcome change from the early starts to the day we have been having.

On arrival to the BP centre we met up with Peter and the rest of his team, the first most pleasant thing we were able to do, following Peter presenting an update on the finances for the kitchen/cafe project, was our ability to tell them that not only could we fully finance the kitchen/cafe but we could also finance the completion of the toilets, replace broken windows, purchase 32 chairs for the conference room, decorate the museum and purchase a reasonable tool kit for the centre.

The next task was to purchase the various supplies for the projects, not as easy as you might expect in Kenya. It is not the same as popping down to B&Q, you go to o

ne shop to buy the toilet bowls and another for the toilet seats and systems. About 3 hours later and after visiting at least 6 different shops most of the supplies were purchased and returned to the centre for further work to start.

Whilst we were away getting supplies we were able to start on BP’s clock tower, yep, something we didn’t know either. Whilst BP was here in Nyrei

he designed and had built a clock tower in the town, the clock for which came from a firm in Croydon which is still in business, sadly the clock has some parts missing so is not operational but that’s another project for someone.

Over the two days and led by Ian we have managed to tidy the area around the clock tower and repaint the railings tidying up the clock tower and making it more pre

sentable.

Part of the last two days has included quite a lot of presentations and visits to the centre by various dignitaries. What we have realised is that we are unique, although we already knew that, in the fact that although over the years the BP centre has received various donations never have they had a group both donate money and turn up and carry out work.

Due to this we have had a mention in a national daily newspaper and today were visited by the town mayor who interrupted a council meeting to attend. Our presence alone seems to have been a massive boost to the centre.

This evening we invited Peter and his team to join us at the hotel for a almost farewell meal, tomorrow we head of to Aberdare National Park via The Country Club and staying at the Ark, a hotel in the middle of the park beside a watering hole. The reason for the almost far

ewell meal is that we are meeting up with Peter to visit a coffee plantation in the morning.

Just as a warning, we are unsure what the internet access will be over the next couple of days so please bear with us.