“…..This is a short account of our programme so far. I hope it will be of interest.

During my first week I rehearsed with 14 young people the Musical ” Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat”, and although it was hard work teaching such a group, ENGLISH WORDS, STRANGE AND NEW TUNES, together with ACTIONS AND MOVEMENTS which were unfamiliar to them, but we had great fun singing & acting together JACOB & SONS………ONE MORE ANGEL IN HEAVEN {What wonderful cow girls they make!!} and ANY DREAM WILL DO. On our final day of rehearsals something amazing happened. We were rehearsing THE SONG OF THE KING ( which in the early productions of the show The Pharaoh who sings this song was usually presented as an ELVIS PRESLEY character.) I was busy explaining this when Shahzeb (the son of Shanez the Umeed Supervisor in Johannabad) interrupted and explained that none of them knew who E.P. was. He then asked if He was anything like Michael Jackson? ( Doesn’t it make you realize how old & out of touch we are getting!!!) However I persuaded Shahzeb to sing the Song of the King, (with the CD Player) with the girls acting as the backing group. It was as though it was meant to be….All the neighbours were looking through the gate & everyone cheered & clapped when he finished. And Shahzeb’s self confidence soared (Shazeb had been feeling very depressed because just a few months earlier he had suffered a severe injury to his right eye, which had left him blind in that eye). In the light of this performance we decided to invite Shahzeb to be one of the Pharaohs in the production. I think that I can safely say that our Umeed Group from Pakistan will not let us down when they come to U.K. next Summer We did in 4 days what would normally take 4 weeks to learn.

I had a meeting with the Umeed Supervisors & Sewing Centre Trainers about costumes and they have agreed to make the costumes for the Umeed members together with a costume for their very own Michael Jackson-Pharaoh!! Together with a “PAKISTANI JOSEPH PARACHUTE COAT which should look stunning!!

The second highlight of my visit was our Cricket Tournament. This had been arranged by members of the Umeed Partnership from Loralai, Johannabad & Bahawalpur. We (the special guests) arrived at the ground (not at all like Lord’s!) but more like any waste-tip in the U.K. but to the players & local spectators it was every bit as good as Lord’s…& what & where was Lord’s anyway!!!

We were welcomed by the 3 teams who danced to the traditional drum beat….Garlanded too and led to our seats of honour which they had created from a frame covered with a sort of carpet (rather like our Gazeebos!!), but who cared, it did its job wonderfully well keeping off the “Beating sun”I enjoy my cricket & so I settled down in my armchair (they don’t have these at Lord’s!!) next to the English Speaking Scorer for the day’s play

Those who had made all the arrangements are to be congratulated, because they had arranged Independent Scorers, Umpires, & even an Urdu/English commentator!! But now to the cricket. The Teams agreed to play the very popular version of cricket “20 20. Each team played each other & the teams who finished Top & Runner up in this league would play in the final. (In the event of a 3 way tie then the run-rate would count.)

I made the presentation of trophies (Including 2 miniature bats made by my brother Richard)……next year the woodworking centres can make the trophies.

It really was a most enjoyable tournament & it is hoped that next year more of the Umeed Woodworking Centres will enter.

It is planned, next year from these Centres to set up an Umeed Sports Club (Cricket for the boys & Table Tennis for the girls.)

I also visited 8 Sewing Centres, Embroidery Centres & Woodworking Centres and the climax of these visits was the Certificate Presentation Ceremony in The Catholic Renewal Centre Lahore. This was attended by The President of Lahore Cosmopolitan Rotary Club, Pr: Quazi Sahib. Past District Govenor A.Q. Alavi MS, Amna Ulfat M.P.A. Assistant Governor. Certificates were awarded to members from the Sewing Centres & Woodworking Centres. There were songs & dances of welcome and several social dramas which were greatly appreciated. The Presentation Ceremony concluded with refreshments in the lovely gardens of the Renewal Centre.

On Wednesday 5 November Yousuf and I will be making the long journey south to Bahawalpur in southern Punjab to meet the people here and to monitor the Umeed Centres to assess their needs, and to make plans for their future developments. Watch this space!……..”