Following on from the success of the art and sculpture show at Luke and Lina Borwick’s gardens in Blair, Dalry, which raised over £4,600 in July this year, Friends of Hilary Storm School (FOHSSU) are now seeking the balance of funds needed to purchase a truck that will help reduce the operational running costs for the school and improve food prices for the local community.

At present the school has to pay a high cost to hire lorries for transporting food, firewood and construction materials to the school. Located in a rural area, the greater part of locally grown food such as maize, beans, ground nuts and rice has to be processed in Mbale town 40 miles away. The food is grown by local farmers but the dealers buy it at a low price, then transport it to Mbale for grinding. They then return and sell it to the local community at a far higher price. The poor farmers remain poor, the impoverished local people pay a high price for their food and the profit remains with the business dealers.

A good second hand 4.5 ton truck costs £20,000. FOHSSU have already raised half of this cost and look forward to finding the balance by Christmas this year. A truck is a key part of the vision to generate significant income for the school and to enable the impoverished local community to benefit from a better food security.