This year we have held two courses for our volunteer physiotherapists to learn about how to run a two-week Elementary Course in the assessment, treatment and management of children with cerebral palsy in African couontries.  One course was held in our house here in Berwickshire in June and we had four participants.  The other was held in Jean Westmacott's house in Hampshire in October.  On that course we had three participants. 

The aim of the course apart from preparing the physiotherapists to be able to teach the course was to give them a picture of what their 3 week assignment would be like so that they could make a more informed decision as to whether or not this was something they wanted to do.  At the end of both courses most participants said they were quite daunted by the amount of work involved and by the responsibility they would be taking on but at the same time they felt excited by the challenge.  Out of the seven participants four will definitely sign up to do a teaching assignment as long as we send them with a more experienced trainer.  One other would have signed up except that she discovered she was pregnant!  I think this is a good reason to decline!

One of our new volunteers is Fiona Price who works in the Children's Hospital in Sheffield.  She is at present teaching the Elementary Course in Ndola, Zambia with Liz Harding who has lived and worked as a physio in Rwanda for many years.

Archie Hinchcliffe and Dr. Lesley Dawson were the trainers on the October course. Lesley will be the experienced trainer accompanying another new volunteer, Linda Eve, to run a course in Malawi next February.

Sharing meals (and a glass of wine!) was also a good opportunity to share information about Africa and about each other.