Sheryl Greentree‘Charitable Winner’ of Tesco Magazine's Mum of theYear 2009
From top to bottom, right to left: i) Sheryl receives her award ii) Outside Number 10 with other categories of winning mums iii) PM's wife, Sarah Brown, congratulates Sheryl with her children (Photos by PA)
This year, Sheryl Greentree, 42, from Stone, Staffordshire has been named Tesco Magazine’s Charitable Mum of the Year 2009. During a chance conversation six years ago Sheryl heard about the plight of a village in The Gambia. This mum of two asked what she could do to help save the lives of families in dire need. Now her charity, Water for Africa, reaches over 80 communities.
After hearing about the problems plaguing villages in The Gambia, Sheryl used her own money to travel to Africa and buy a drilling machine, which would create boreholes to supply essential water to villages. Then in 2005 she established the charity Water for Africa. Since its establishment the charity has gone from strength to strength, raising money and providing lifesaving facilities to over 80 communities.
From the UK the charity manages a team of 20 local specialists, which are recruited and trained using charity funds. These specialists establish relationships with the villages, and consequently form an understanding of the challenges that the local communities face. Water for Africa has just completed work on an antenatal clinic in Tallinding Kunjang, The Gambia. This clinic is unique for the area, and will serve a population of 10,000, providing new mothers with the vital postnatal care and support which we take for granted in the UK.
Sheryl explained the emotions behind the decision to set up the antenatal clinic. ‘ It was heartbreaking as a mum meeting children whose mothers had died during childbirth from problems, such as anaemia, that could easily have been prevented, and seeing the struggle women in these villages were going through, having lost so many children in stillbirth. I couldn’t ignore it. We wanted to set up the antenatal clinic as you can’t put a price on giving people a sense of community and the infrastructure within which to help themselves.’
Notes to editors
- Each Tesco magazine celebrates Britain’s most courageous and inspiring mothers with its Tesco magazine Mum of the Year awards. The awards are now in their fourth year.
- Winners are nominated by readers, and were selected by a judging panel including Sarah Brown and Tana Ramsay.
- Winners are divided into categories with an overall winner. There are seven winners this year with an additional award, Celebrity mum of the Year, chosen by judges.
- The awards take place on Sunday 1 March 2009 at London’s Waldorf Hilton Hotel.
For further press enquires please contact:
Samantha Cunnington @ Outside Organisation
samantha.cunnington@outside-org.co.uk
Tel: 0207 436 3633 Mobile: 07825 439 020
Chloe Lecash @ Outside Organisation
Chloe.lecash@outside-org.co.uk
T: 0207 436 3633 Mobile: 07825 439 024
