The next meeting of OLAT will be next Tuesday 22 April, 7 pm at the Town Hall and on Zoom.
We will be looking at what to support with our funds, what is happening with NECAT and clean water for the hillside communities.
Planning the Sponsored Swim which will be on Wednesday 2 July, 4 pm to 7 pm at the beautiful Hinksey Pool – we have flyers to display, see attached, and discuss how to publicise the swim. Do make a note in your diary! Swimmers and helpers needed on the day!
The Misa Campesina will be on Sunday 7 September or Sunday 5 October – we will confirm the date after Easter.
we have been a bit quiet since the misa campesina, as we had no major event to shout about, but we’re still meeting every once in a while to discuss meaningful things to do to help the people of Leon in Nicaragua. The next meeting will actually be tomorrow, Tue 25th, at the town hall, starting 7pm.
Oh, and it also happens to be the AGM. So do come numerously.
The next meeting of OLAT is on Tuesday 25 June at 7 pm at Oxford Town Hall and on Zoom.
This meeting will focus on our Sponsored Swim next Friday 28 June, 4 pm to 7 pm – help needed to set up from 3 pm – please contact me if you can help!. Please see flyer attached and display if you can. This is our biggest fund raising event of the year and is to support the visit of the musicians and also to support NECAT (Nicaragua Education Culture and Arts Trust).
We will also be preparing for the exciting visit of the two young classical musicians from Nicaragua to play in the Youth Twinning Orchestra in July. Cesar and Jose will arrive on Thursday 4 July and return on Thursday 18 July. Young musicians aged 12 to 25 from Oxford’s twin cities will rehearse together 8 – !3 July, culminating in a performance of Carmina Burana at Oxford Town Hall on Saturday 13 July, 7 pm! Cesar on Cello and Jose on Violin will play in the orchestra and also visit schools and community centres. It will be an amazing experience for the young musicians and good to have a cultural exchange from Nicaragua! Many thanks to their hosts for enabling this to happen – Sue Matthew, Jan Marshall, Dr Latifa Noman and Angela Alban. The orchestra will be led by John Lubbock, conductor of Orchestra of St John’s:
Our Fund-Raising Swim is on Friday 28 June 2024, 4 pm – 7 pm at our usual pool – Hinksey Heated Outdoor Pool, Abingdon Road, Oxford OX1 4RP. We are very grateful to More and the staff at Hinksey Pool for their hospitality.
This year we are raising funds to bring two young classical musicians from Nicaragua to Oxford to play Carmina Burana with the Youth International Twinning Concert on 13 July 7 pm at Oxford Town Hall. We are also raising funds for NECAT, an educational charity for disadvantaged children in a poor area of León.
This is our most important fund-raising event of the year! We really need you! León needs our support more than ever in these challenging times, and we want to keep this link with a city in the global south going! We can learn from each other and enjoy the Latin American culture!.
You can swim between 4 pm and 7 pm. The “official” opening will be at 5 pm.
Please note that if the above time and date are not convenient you can still take part in your own time and location between 28 June and 12 July.
Half of the money raised will go to NECAT – Nicaragua Education Culture Arts Trust:
The Nicaragua Education Culture and Arts Trust, a UK registered charity, raises funds for sponsorship of after-school clubs and other educational projects and for the relief of poverty in impoverished communities in Leon, Nicaragua. The projects use the medium of culture and the arts as a vehicle for this education.
Whether you have taken part in lots of Sponsored Swims and will be trying to equal your personal best, or whether it will be your first time taking part, whatever you raise small or large will help the cultural exchange and also make a big difference to poor children in León and help to keep the centre going! Refreshments will be provided for swimmers and helpers. Let’s hope that the sun shines!
Our Annual Fund Raising Swim is on Friday 14 July, 4pm – 7 pm at our usual pool – Hinksey Heated Outdoor Pool, Lake Street, Oxford OX1 4RP. We are very grateful to Fusion and the staff at Hinksey Pool for their continued hospitality.
This is our most important fund raising event of the year, for our twin city of León, so do please come along to swim and support the fund raising, and get any friends involved and have some fun! We really need you! Nicaragua needs our support and solidarity more than ever.
Please see the poster attached. If you could display it that would be helpful. To register email Jen Houston at the address shown on the poster.
Dear Swimmers and Supporters of Oxford León Association and Trust
As many of you know, OLAT has been holding a Sponsored Swim for over thirty years, to raise much needed funds for our twin city of León and support our charities Nuevas Esperanzas and Nicaragua Education, Culture and Arts Trust (NECAT). Nuevas Esperanzas works with families around the Telica volcano near Leon on water and agroecology projects including rainwater harvesting, beekeeping and introducing new crops such as dragon fruit, after their crops were devastated in the hurricanes. NECAT provides education and support to impoverished families in a suburb of León. Last year was the first year that we couldn’t hold the Sponsored Swim. As this year is our 35th Anniversary year we decided that we couldn’t not hold it again this year, so we would try a different way and hold the Sponsored Swim online! It is a pity that we can’t be together at the Hinksey Pool, but we can be creative and swim anywhere, and anytime during July! Maybe you have increased your fitness in lockdown, or maybe your swimming has become a bit rusty – just enjoy yourself and pick your surroundings – maybe wild water swimming, or a spa! Any amount that we raise will help, in this very difficult year. Please register with JustGiving and link your account to the OLAT Sponsored Swim page, by adding the event to your page: Sponsored Swim for León in our 35th Year! – JustGiving
Enjoy your swim, anytime, anywhere during July, then please circulate your JustGiving account to your friends to donate! Nicaragua needs our support and solidarity more than ever! Keep safe and we hope to see you in person next year! It would be interesting if people could let me know where they swim and I will let people know how many diverse locations we achieve! Thank you for your continuing support for Oxford’s furthest away twin! Especially to those who have already been generous this year in supporting the Quizzes, it is much appreciated. Best wishes Jenny Houston Secretary OLAT
Oxford León Association 