Saddleworth Woman Helps Bulgarian Orphans
The orphanage at Kalofer. (all pictures: Charlene Bradford)
A woman from Saddleworth has thanked local people for donating to her appeal to help children in Bulgarian orphanages. Charlene Bradford, who is originally from Diggle but now lives in Bulgaria, began the effort a year ago, and has already been able to get valuable supplies to the youngsters.
Charlene told Saddleworth News she’d already had assistance from “so many kind and wonderful people and companies.” Her mum still lives in Uppermill and has co-ordinated the appeal at this end, and Charlene described the response from Saddleworth, Oldham and Tameside as “fantastic” with clothes, shoes, toys, toiletries and bedding all donated.
The items have been going to two children’s homes in the towns of Kalofer and Plovdiv. The Kalofer orphanage is for children aged between 7 and 18, while the Plovdiv facility is home to younger children including newborn babies and toddlers.
Charlene said both have very basic conditions, and are badly in need of new flooring and plastering as well as new bathrooms, tables and chairs, and bedroom furniture.
Donations arrive at Kalofer in July.
Charlene delivered the first load of donations in July, with the help of her mum. Charlene said: “The only time she got emotional was when three young girls asked us to come and look at their bedroom as they had just cleaned and tidied it. My mum got upset because these children had nothing in their room, cold concrete floors, a mattress with just a blanket on it, wardrobes that were falling to pieces, yet these children were chuffed to show us their room.”
Charlene added that the staff and children alike have been delighted by the donations: “Each visit gets better, the staff and children are so welcoming, it is an incredible feeling knowing that so many people are helping to make a difference to the children’s lives.”
Local businesses have got involved with some important donations. Charlene was particularly delighted to receive roll-end carpets and rugs from GSW in Rochdale, and more than 120 items from Joe Bloggs clothing in Manchester.
Loading up at the Saddleworth end of the operation.
The latest batch of donations has been collected in recent weeks, and is now at a warehouse in London awaiting transport to Bulgaria. Charlene described transport as the “main problem” hindering the work of the appeal, and she has had to beg and borrow hauliers and others to let her have some lorry space.
However, Charlene is confident the new donations, which include shoe boxes of Christmas gifts for the children, will be delivered in time for December. She added: “This winter I’ll be contacting more companies to appeal for donations, looking for somewhere to store our donations in the Oldham area, and also trying to find a transport company who would be able to bring our donations over once or twice a year.”
She added that it’s “full steam ahead” to keep the appeal going in the months to come. Charlene also said that, following the donation of some dancing shoes, she hopes to begin a tap dancing class at the Kalofer orphanage.
You can get more information about how to help at the appeal’s website here.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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