Gambia Project background
The University of Winchester is leading the Hampshire Diamond Jubilee Gambia Project 2012
This appeal follows on from the success of the Hampshire Millennium Project, led by our Chancellor, Dame Mary Fagan DCVO JP, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire.
The Lord-Lieutenant has been involved with helping Soma School in the Lower River Division of The Gambia since 1998 when Hampshire County Council's Education Committee unanimously agreed to support a Millennium Project for schools in The Gambia. Dame Mary accepted an invitation from African fundraiser Marion Christmas MBE JP to become Patron of the Appeal to raise £50,000. Over the past ten years the Hampshire Millennium Project, involving many Hampshire Schools, has raised enough money to build eight classroom blocks and a resource centre for teaching staff.
In 2008 the University of Winchester raised funds to build and equip a new classroom and in February 2010 the Lord-Lieutenant and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Joy Carter visited the school to open the new facility.