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News from Bangalore

As you are probably aware it is Fairtrade fortnight and jacobswell is proud to be part of this movement, celebrating ten years for providing opportunities and employment for vulnerable young women and me. It has taken a lot of hard work and determination to create a professional and successful tailoring unit and I want to say thank you personally to all of you who have supported on this journey.

In December 2011, I returned to Bangalore for 6months, to give support to the unit and spend time training the staff as they worked on a new and sophisticated collection for a London designer. It was an exciting project and the client was so pleased with the collection that she has placed another large order with us. We have been fortunate to have a lady called Jayne join us on the jacobswell team in the UK. She will be filling in my role in the UK, promoting and developing sales for jacobswell whist I am in Bangalore.

At the beginning of January 2012, my mother had a fall and I rushed back to the UK be with her. Vey sadly she developed pneumonia and didn’t survive. This has been a really difficult time for all my family. My mum, like many others, was the anchor of our family unit and is greatly missed.

I arrived back in Bangalore on March 1^st to a fabulous belated celebration for my birthday and many other challenges. The office manager had decided to leave on the day I arrived. I developed pneumonia and Lydia the production manager, was really poorly. So for the last week there has been no management at the unit but I am pleased to say the staff continued to work on the school uniforms, whilst being managed remotely form my house!!

Sumitra is one of the girls we have managed to train to a high standard is working along side Ayub, the senior tailor. Her family have just moved to Chennai and want her to go with them. This will be a real loss for us but for her too. She does not want to go as she is very happy at jacobswell and loves the challenges of the work.

My family are all busy at the moment. Matthew has secured a 6-month contract as a web designer with the Chartered Institute. Emma has nearly completed the first year of her GP training. Lucy and Simon will be celebrating Daniel’s first birthday on the 18^th March. Stephen has recently moved on in a successful new job as well as working his way through a Chartered Accountancy course (SIPS)

It was lovely to see many of you whilst I was in the UK and hope you will keep in touch. Love Brenda

The article above appears in the April edition of ‘The Voice’ – Bilton’s Parish Magazine. If you would like to subscribe please see our Parish Magazine page.

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