Page 14 - link magazine

From Middleleaze to the Middle East

Former Greendown pupil Lotty “It’s a bit weird as when we arrive
Hall is travelling to the Occupied in Jerusalem we’ve got to say that
Palestinian Territories at the end of we’re staying with International
March as part of a project to bring Services in the city as they wouldn’t
much needed help to the troubled let us in the country if they knew we
region. were travelling onto the West Bank.
The 23-year-old from Middleleaze “There’s going to be a lot to learn,
has been selected as part of David especially as I will meet students
Cameron’s Big Youth Scheme under who have their movements restrict-
The International Citizens Service ed. I’m not very political and will be
which provides funds for young going with an open mind.”
people to fight poverty across the This is not the first time that Lotty
world. has travelled to far-flung places to
She is travelling via Jerusalem to help others. During her university
The West Bank and working with course she visited Uganda twice
charity International Services on where she went into schools as a
their Right to Education Campaign teacher and was even an intern to
to spend 10 weeks in the region the legislature on her latest trip.
from 30 March to 5 June. When at Greendown, in 2007, she
In recent years, the situation travelled with a group of students
between the Palestinians and the Lotty Hall, spending two months in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to spend 10 days at Moriteng Wa
Israelis has worsened especially Thuto School in the Clarens district
after last year’s seven-week long heard through different media. an advert on Facebook and decided of South Africa.
aerial bombardment of Gaza by “I’ll be working directly with the to go for it. She said: “I really didn’t Lotty was also a member of the
the Israelis in retaliation to mortar university and, although usually we know much about the situation over Greendown delegation invited to
attacks. stay at the homes of student fami- there until I applied and although meet Prime Minister Tony Blair in
Based in Ramallah at Birzeit lies, in this case, because it is so it’s quite scary, I’m also quite ex- the House of Commons to discuss
University, Lotty will be working at volatile over there, we’ll be staying cited to be helping people where it the Every Child Needs a Teacher
a grass roots level helping Palestin- together in a hostel.” is sorely needed. campaign in 2008.
ian students tell the stories of their Until January, Lotty, who has just “My parents were worried at first Lotty had to commit to £800 and
experiences. She said: “The idea is to finished her dissertation for her as you can imagine especially as she also has to raise awareness of
give them a voice. With that in mind Environmental Management degree they soon realised that I hadn’t her project afterwards. Help her
I will also be giving them guidance at Leeds University, had never heard really read up on it but they’re now meet the costs at: www.justgiving.
on how they can get their voices of the scheme but then she spotted being really supportive. com/Lotty-Hall

14 swindonlink.com n April 2015