Advice with charity request please

Great news ga. Aren't they lucky to have such a wonderful foster mum.

What a lovely start to the New Year and it coincides with their birthdays! My son's is on the 9th

Hooray!! Three lovely Rotarians have just spent an hour with the boys and delivered a refurbished laptop.
The youngest will be seventeen tomorrow and his brother will be eighteen on the ninth of January. They don't usually celebrate birthdays so it will be good to spoil them a little.

Good news GA! Glad the lads will have laptop soon!

I've just been in to wish the lads goodnight as we're off on holiday tomorrow. They will be spending the days we're away with their dad and just sleeping here whilst we're gone. Our lovely lodger will be keeping an eye on them.
We've just given them their presents, with instructions that they are not to be opened until Christmas Day. We have bought them a rug each from Afghanistan to go by their bedsides, so that last thing at night and the first thing in the morning they will be reminded of home. The rugs were hand weaved by homeless girls and boys who are apprentice carpet makers for a social enterprise in Kabul. The boys are both very excited. I do wish I could be here to see them open them.

Great News - I hope they enjoy it

Great news GA, your efforts have paid off. I hope the boys enjoy the laptop.

Fabulous news GA so pleased for them & you .

The mills of Rotary can grind very slowly...

Good!

That's really good news - so pleased

Here's an update for those of you kind enough to take an interest:
Following on from their visit I received a phone call from the town Rotary Club asking me to also approach The Lions which I duly did. The Lions asked me to approach a second Rotary Club that covers the valley, which I didn't even know existed. The second Rotary Club said a direct 'no', on the basis that if the boys need a laptop for their education the school should supply one. All of this was over the period until a couple of days ago when the Town Rotary Club phoned and told me that they WILL purchase a refurbished laptop for the boys and they should have it soon after Christmas. ( cheer!)
Many thanks to those of you who offered to help with this, you're a great bunch of people.

So glad it's looking hopeful. If your boys aren't a deserving case I don't know what is and I'm sure they would make good use of a laptop.

I am pleased it went well, hope the outcome is positive.

Gald to hear there will be a Result, GA!

Could I send the assistants from the co-op for a few smiling lessons? I have just had my purchases rung up, the money taken, and the change given to me by a young man who did not once look me in the eye or speak to me other than to tell me the total. The only thank you was mine , when he handed me the change. He then turned back to his colleague and continued the conversation I had so inconveniently interrupted.

The Rotary visit went very well and I'm expecting to hear back soon. I said that any laptop would be a bonus and we're not bothered about brands or anything, just so long as it works. I'm pretty confident that their recommendation to the relevant committee will be positive. The boys were on form and both the men were impressed with how much English language they've accumulated.
The lads start their work experience for their NVQs tomorrow and are re-taking maths GCSEs in a couple of weeks. The older boy has been practising 'smiling' in readiness for giving good customer service; he makes it look quite painful!

Good luck for Wednesday. It seems a very reasonable request to me, something that will actually be some practical use and further their education.

OoH I hope it goes well

Good so far, hoping for an equally good outcome.

There are some "social enterprises" that recondition laptops I think.

Well done grannyactivist, sometimes asking is the hardest thing to do, because normally most of us just get on with things, but a good cause is always worth supporting. How are the boys getting on?

Fingers crossed for you and your foster children.
I am full of admiration for you, grannyactivist .

Thought you might like an update on this.
Two men from Rotary are coming to visit me and the boys on Wednesday to discuss my begging letter application for a laptop for the boys. I shall let you know the outcome.

Good luck! hope it all comes together

Many, many thanks to all of you who have offered advice and even financial contributions - the latter took me completely by surprise and brought me to tears. I was dumbstruck when I got home this evening to find so many responses and I do appreciate your support enormously.
I have just written a letter to the local Rotary Club with some background information and asked them if they will buy a laptop and the Windows software to go with it. I will keep you informed as to the outcome.