|
Rocking
Zebra “Raj” in his packing
case with some of the toys kindly
donated by children of Somerset schools
getting ready for dispatch. |
|
| Ragpicker
Children’s smiles say a thousand
words. |
|
This Rocking Zebra
has been donated by the Rotary Club
of Somerset Levels District 1200,
England, by the International Chairman
John C. Wood of this Club. The Rocking
Zebra has a dimension of 6 * 4 *3
feet ( length, height & width
), This Rocking Zebra has been made
out of steel & wood. It can take
up weight up to 109 kilos. |
The
Rocking Zebra is hand made by Simon
Lane from materials purchased with
fund raised by the children of Heathfield
and Bisop Fox’s Community Schools
in Taunton, Somerset in England. These
children raised funds also in their
own sweet manner. Their schools fine
50 pence to a child not wearing school
uniform. These children decided not
to wear their school uniforms and
pay 50 pence each for this noble cause
!! You got to be a child of show genuine
concern with unconditional love for
their fellow children across another
continent who are underprivileged
! |
For
the shipment of the same, the Rocking
Zebra had locked in it two time capsules,
least it may not reach its destination,
it can be sent back to where it belongs.
These time capsules are filled by
the children of the above schools.
The Head Teachers of each school have
signed the Time Capsules |
While
packing the same for shipment to Rajkot,
instead of using bubble bags or other
packaging material, the children of
Somerset have judiciously thought
of packing it with environment friendly
material. The children have donated
more than 1200 of their nearly new
soft cuddly toys. These toys have
been used to pack around the Rocking
Zebra for its added protection during
the journey to Rajkot. |
It
takes a simple effort but mighty determination,
even by the school children to hand
made and send such a marvelous piece
of toy for the joy of the underprivileged
fellow brethren somewhere far away
in South Central Asian Country, India.
We at the RDM, salute these children
for bringing smiles of the faces of
their brethren visiting and rocking
happily in the RDM. |
| Read
the details of how and why this unique
piece traveled to the RDM……Click
to read on…. |
| ROCKING
ZEBRA CROSSING |
While
Mr. John Wood was considering sending
a doll to the Rajkot Midtown Dolls
Museum, while searching the Internet
his brother-in-law Simon Lane by accident
came across a web-site about Rocking
Horses. He sent off for the plans
and then in the year 2000 made one
for his two daughters.
At the beginning of 2001 he decided
it would be great fun to make a Rocking
Zebra for the use of young children
who had virtually nothing through
no fault of their own.
At the time, I was President of The
Rotary Club of Somerset Levels and
Simon asked me to help find a suitable
location that could match his basic
plan criteria.
|
| Simon’s
Criteria |
A
one off charitable project to make
a Rocking Zebra and deliver it to
a worthy location with the following
aims: |
| • |
To
give enjoyment to as many children
as possible. |
| • |
For use by the
children for as long a time as
possible. |
| • |
Ensure
that it is managed for the benefit
of the children for at least
15 years. |
|
Members
of my club looked at Nepal, Albania
and South Africa but following our
visit to deliver our Somerset doll
to Rajkot Midtown for their Dolls
Museum, the museum was selected by
Simon as meeting his criteria and
therefore the right destination for
the Rocking Zebra. |
After
a lot of work and numerous e-mails
to Deepak the rocking zebra was named
“Raj”.
After receiving donations in kind
by various local companies together
with numerous soft toys donated by
the members of The Rotary Club of
Somerset Levels and children from
ten local schools, our zebra was sent
to Rajkot. “Raj“
arrived on 8 November 2003 and stayed
packed until Simon arrived to officially
present him to the Dolls Museum. |
| |
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