Pageant News 5 April 2008

Harwell is the birthplace of the UK nuclear industry. The site is being decommissioned and regenerated to form part of a major hi-tech business and science campus (further details).  The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) are both currently at the Harwell site. As well as removing reactors and major engineering structures, the decommissioning process also results in quantities of office equipment and furniture becoming available.

On the 25 March a project to send some of this furniture to The Gambia came to fruition, with the loading of a 40 foot container. The project was the idea of Ann Burls and Debbie Fisher (UKAEA) who working with the NDA co-ordinated the shipment through the Pageant. Sponsorship was raised to pay for and ship the container, with the support of UKAEA, Bill Sievwright (chair of the Transport Containers Standards Committee), Redcoat Express Ltd, Didcot Girls School, Calber Facilities Management Ltd and the NDA. The equipment included pens, clothing, school text books, toys, desks, chairs, shelving, fridges, etc. All of these items would have been surplus, but will now go to improve the facilities at a number of schools in the Gambia.
 

<< back row: Craig* & Chris* << middle row: Mark Johnson, Ian*, Lindsay Hardy, Pippa*, Jo Hewitt, container driver << front row: Ian Upshall, Dave*, Chris Fisher, Ann Burls, Debbie Fisher Fiona Boyer took the photo * indicates Pageant member Chris Fisher was one of the IceCold to Bakalarr rally drivers and he works for NDA. His wife Debbie & Ann Burls both work for UKAEA (actually, Ann has now retired, our container was her swan song!)

↑ The Group Photo ↑ Posing with the forklift >> From left to right: >> Chris Smith, ?, Ian*, Debbie Fisher, Ann Burls, Pippa*, Rodney Steptoe. ? means we don't have his name! Gary Preston kindly lent us the forklift complete with its driver Rodney Steptoe.

Steve Doman and Dave Freitas from  Calber (in blue fleeces below right) were really helpful, but left before the group photo was taken. We also had some assistance from the Fire Officers from Scion at Harwell, but unfortunately we have no photos of them.