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CQteN St Pats, 1200 hungry kids

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Celtic Quick News will be 10 years old next year and to mark the occasion, through Mary’s Meals, we’re going to construct a kitchen and shelter facility at the Kholoni Primary School in Mchinji, Central Malawi, which currently has no food preparation facilities.

A brick-built building, the kitchen will consist of one main cooking area with two small locked storerooms. In one, firewood for the stoves will be kept and, the other will store food and utensils.  The kitchen will be fully equipped with stoves, pots, serving equipment, mugs and spoons and the 1221 children will be provided with a daily meal of a vitamin-enriched maize porridge.  The kitchen will also have teaching facilities, to allow it to be used as a classroom outside meal times.

17% of people in the world live in extreme poverty (less than $1.25 per day) but there is plenty of good news, the proportion of world living in this condition halved in last 20 years (this was a UN Millennium Development Target).  Life expectancy (at birth) of low income people in 1990 was 52, but in 2011 it was 60.  Infant mortality dropped by a third during this period and maternal mortality almost halved.

Since humans first walked the earth a significant proportion of them have lived in extreme poverty, but while someone once said, “the poor will always be with us”, for the first time ever the decades ahead could see all of humanity escape from extremely poverty.

Malawi, according to the UN the 17th least developed nation on earth, is one of the world’s extreme poverty front lines, but even here, the trend is encouraging.  In 1990 child mortality between 0-5 years was 244 deaths per 1000 live births.  By 2000 this had dropped to 174 per 1000.  Last year the figure was 71 deaths per 1000 from 0-5 years.  The UK passed that figure more than 70 years ago, but the rate of improvement in Malawi is nothing short of incredible.  It is fertile ground for the right kind of help.

Mary’s Meals, a Scottish charity established in 2002, feeds 822,142 kids in 16 countries every day.  They keep costs low and employ local staff in kitchens, ensuring 93% of money donated reaches those in need, possibly the highest rate of any comparable organisation.  It costs £7 for Mary’s Meals to feed a child in Malawi – for a whole year.  20% of Malawi’s children (600k) are fed by the organisation, often their only meal of the day.

In 2012, a sample of 44 schools found that enrolment had increased by 30% two years after the introduction of Mary’s Meals. Academic achievement improves too.  The benefit is not just escape from hunger, it is access to education for children who would otherwise have to work for food.  It also provides an increase in productivity and economic capacity when the children enter the workforce.

CQteN St Patrick’s Day Party

The kitchen will cost £7000 and I’ve told Mary’s Meals we’ll raise enough money by St Patrick’s Day, which gives us three months.  We have a lot of work to do but the focal point will be the CQteN Dinner on Friday, 14 March 2014, which will be the biggest and best St Patrick’s Day Party in Scotland.

We’ve hired the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park. Tickets are available for £50, tables of 10 are also available.  To reserve a ticket or table email me, celticquicknews@gmail.com.  The event has been discussed in the comments section for some weeks without a formal launch and we quickly sold out the smaller capacity of the Kerrydale Suite.  We have now taken the entire suite so additional tickets are available.

Between now and then there will be the odd auction to help us along, and we will continue to support the work of the Celtic Foundation (who have a Children’s Hospice Association Scotland auction on now), the Kano Foundation, and the many needy causes a lot closer to home than Malawi.

The UN are currently considering Development Targets for 2030, with the eradication of extreme poverty likely to feature.  Poverty is a complex subject, so even after 2000 years development, we know there will always be comparative poverty, but within our Generation of Domination, extreme poverty, less than $1.25 per day existence, could be eradicated.

There is no more appropriate way to mark the 10th anniversary of the blog.  This will be our payback for all the hours, days, weeks and months of pleasure (and toil) we’ve gotten out of the these pages over the years. Put 14th March 2014 in your diary, we’re having THE St Patrick’s Day party!

For more information on Mary’s Meals take a look at the video below:

Get your CQN Annual below. From now on £5 from every Annual sold will go to the CQN Malawi School Kitchen appeal.


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  1. ryecatcher on

    Macjay…

     

     

    Would never make assumptions like Lawell did last Friday.

     

     

    The man is no Celtic soul brother.

  3. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........FC not PLC on

    RYECATCHER

     

     

    As I said on Thursday morning,Wednesday night was the result of putting a bean-counter in charge of operational policy.

     

     

    Never a good idea in ANY industry.

  5. zimmerman - Conspiracy Theorist : Nothing more than a derogatory title to dismiss a critical thinker)- DAM Right ! on

    In the beginning the universe was created.

     

    This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.

  9. zimmerman - Conspiracy Theorist : Nothing more than a derogatory title to dismiss a critical thinker)- DAM Right ! on

    JimmyQuinnsBits.

     

     

    now your talkin’

     

    Peter Green’s version not bad either,too short though.

  10. Sandman on

    NegAnon2

     

     

    19:20 on 13 December, 2013

     

     

    I sense some panic at celtic. That statement on the fine telling us to move on really betrays that sense. Celtic are fast becoming a shambles. The clubs cowardice and willingness to throw the support to the wolves at any given opportunity is now starting to have an impact. I am told the club are being inundated with complaints and with supporters saying they won’t return.

     

     

    Good.

     

     

    Celtic are a cowardly sychophantic organisation that has no clue as to how to behave.

     

     

    They only want your money. And it’s not to make the club progress football wise.

     

     

    The club has allowed the criminalisation of its support. In fact it has colluded in it. They have allowed rampant corruption to go unchallenged and unquestioned. While at the same time trying to stifle any dissenting voices. Sounds a bit like North Korea to me.

     

     

    This lot do not deserve our support. They should be fighting the corner. Instead they just demand money and indiscriminately punish supporters.

     

     

    The Kelly’s were bad but I am beginning to think this lot are worse.

     

     

    Move on my arse.

     

     

    We are about to implode thanks to their cowardice and policy of appeasement.

     

     

    To hell with them.

     

     

     

    =========================

     

     

    Good grief. I’ve had running arguments with you on her eover Celtic policy, old boy, but this one takes the biscuit.

     

     

    I find myself in tandem, if not total agreement.; wouldn’t be quite so scathing though.

     

     

    Peter Lawwell, for all his CEO skills in fiscal and company management, seems to be incredibly naive her ewhen it comes to managing the customer base; naive to the point of negligible if taken in a marketplace, plc context.

     

     

    Football clubs differ from mainstream businesses in that the customers – the fans – want and need to feel part of, and allied with, the club they follow. Celtic are not just a consumable product, Celtic are part of people’s lives.

     

     

    For whatever reason, Peter Lawwell seems to lack the mental faculty to interpret this in the way he should – that the club has a fundamental nee dto be seen to be standing with its fanbase on contentious issues.

     

     

    Whilst he may get away witrh the vandalism, his blatant disregard for the injustices suffered by many paying customers – and paying into Celtic coffers to the extent of the best part of a grand a season – is going to alienate more than just the extremists. Not since the parasitical families have I been watching the responses from Celtic these past two weeks with a frown and a nagigng unease.

     

     

    Trust is being eroded. big time. PL might not realise it yet but the figures will speak volumes. Lose a support’s trust and you lose their pockets firstly. Lose them even temporarily and lose your atmosphere, enthusiasm, vibe, and then the sponsors follow.

     

     

    PLC suicide in this sporting field.

     

     

    Celtic should have made more of an effort to engage the fans’ concerns. The GB banners were, for a football support, clever and telling – look at the reaction to the image of Bobby Sands, the faux outrage, and the hurried obfuscation the media threw at the accompanying text; no exploration of the message or context , just smokescreen.

     

     

    What is tragic is that Peter Lawwell bought it totally, bent over like an apologetic lush as the Evil Empire’s verminous mouthpiece Keech Jackson led assorted bitter huns with keyboards and human slug Hugh Keevins on a rampage to ride Celtic’s image into the muck.

     

     

    As for UEFA, that was always a foregone conclusion – they couldn’t give a damn about whys or wherefores, thaey hear dthe word ‘political’ saw dollar signs, ordered up the Cristal.

     

     

    But PL’s homefront? Dear me…

     

     

    Not once since the Fir Park escapades were the lies addressed – 200 seats my arse.

     

     

    Not once have Celtic used the power they have in Scottish football to slap down the hypocrits and agendas and tell them to shape up or ship out.

     

     

    Not once have they taken the initiative and growled back in the faces of those so enthusiastically applying the most draconian law of divisive sectarianism ever seen outside Alabama 1963.

     

     

    The situation bemuses me.

     

     

    It points to one of two possibilities:

     

     

    That Celtic are unaware of just how detached and confused much of the support feel when it comes to the social issues of supporting Celtic in Scotland 2013; that they do not realise a generation of fans may feel it’s just not worth the hassle.

     

     

    Or, that Celtic know what’s going on, but just don’t care enough, thinking the storm will blow out, they’ll accept a few hundred losses and the majority will stay faithful like braiinwashed drones despite the constant aggravation, the press agendas.

     

     

    Either way, not good.

     

     

    Plush arse off plusher chair, Mr.Lawwell and remove the digit. You’ll need to stick it in the dyke if you don’t watch out.

  12. JimmyQuinnsBits on

    zimmerman,

     

     

    too right, I love Moore’s guitar play tho… it’s great to see an artist play for the song, rather than the audience… the mark of class

  14. Clink\o/ on

    You have to wonder what’s going on in the boardroom.

     

    What is it in the psyche of a Celtic director that makes him so subservient to any charge from authority.

     

    Where is their defence against any accusations against the club.

     

    Is there no sense of injustice. Does nothing get their blood up.

     

    There have been far too many instances of official sanctions against us that we have never argued against.

     

    This present board and previous ones have been made up of high achievers in the business world so it is not ineptitude that’s holding us back. Their duty obviously is to the shareholders and to maximise profits.One route to maximising profits is to have a winning team. Another is to have a happy fanbase ’cause they spend money.Another is not to have your name trashed and to do down anyone who tries to trash it.

     

    I have always begrudgingly accepted the beancounting attitude of the board. it’s an uncomfortable realism that I think we have to accept. I would love a super striker bums on the seats type spending but needs must and all that.

     

    Turning to purely business motives so don’t expect any moral arguments here.

     

    What profit can be gained by allowing negative stories to grow about the Celtic support.

     

    What profit is there in allowing a season of honest mistakes.

     

    Is there no PR department inside Celtic Park.

     

    You really have to compare and contrast between ourselves and that dead crew.

     

    Negative publicity is bad for business obviously so what should you do.

     

    Celtic’s course of action seems to be Shout it from the rooftops, hammer a few fans and hold out their hand for a good slap whilst profoundly apologising.

     

    Sorry Massa, I’m a shakin’ it Boss.

     

    The result is that Fir park is equivalent to a Manchester riot.

     

    They do things differently south of the river though.

     

    No matter how obnoxious their fans get they still try and protect the name of the club.

     

    I know I know.

     

    When their rabble went to Israel for a game and showed themselves up to the world for what they are did the hun board roll over and take it. Not likely. Maybe it’s the sense of entitlement. But they don’t take criticism.

     

    We all seen the Nazi salutes. But you know what they didn’t officially happen.

     

    So they didn’t happen.

     

    Before anyone gets annoyed I am not suggesting we should defend the indefensible but even a guilty man has a defence lawyer.

     

    And I wish Celtic Football Club would employ a few, if not for common decency for their supporters then at least for their business model

  15. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    ryecatcher

     

    01:31 on

     

    14 December, 2013

     

    Macjay…

     

    Would never make assumptions like Lawell did last Friday.

     

    The man is no Celtic soul brother.

     

     

    United in the cause of Celtic.No higher cause.

     

    I happen to believe his heart is in the right place.

     

    Hope,in fact sure,I`m right.

     

    That ,of course,remains to be seen,my fellow Tim.

     

     

    Once more unto the breach,dear friends.

     

    COYBIG

  16. Clink\o/ on

    Winning Captains

     

    Dangerous assumption to make that the blog is still strong.

     

    The strength of the blog is built on previous contributors and if they are leaving so is the strength.

     

    Should retaining and adding not be preferable course

  18. PJBhoynyc on

    Ha! Easdale, when describing business cashflow comparde his customers satisfaction to the customer satisfaction of a bakery

     

     

    Gregg’s perhaps…?

  20. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........FC not PLC on

    JIMMYQUINNSBITS

     

     

    Gary Moore sure could play The Blues.

     

     

    Gets the hair on my neck when I hear an old standard played so brilliantly.

     

     

    Thanks,bud.

  24. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    2.32

     

    Interesting aside;

     

    In the lyrics shown,the word “Saxon” is replaced by “freestaters”

     

     

    “the land that the………..stole.”

  25. zimmerman - Conspiracy Theorist : Nothing more than a derogatory title to dismiss a critical thinker)- DAM Right ! on

    macjay1 for Neil Lennon ,

     

     

    Maudlin indeed,

     

     

    can remember back being a daft teenager, half drunk singing that at the top of my voice while walking down through motherwell with my auld irish da…him looking at me with a mixture of,gaun yirsel’ son and get a grip.

     

     

    p.s. not a broken seat in sight.

  26. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS .........FC not PLC on

    MACJAY. 0232

     

     

    Some interesting stuff on the sidebar there as well.

     

     

    Back out to work….

  27. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    zimmerman – Conspiracy Theorist : Nothing more than a derogatory title to dismiss a critical thinker)- DAM Right !

     

    02:39 on

     

    14 December, 2013

     

    Really enjoyed your tale.

     

    Here`s mine.

     

    Mate.

     

    South Africa`71.

     

    Scottish party.

     

    Me old guitar out , full on version of the “Thompson gun.”

     

    “MUCH appreciated by the Afrikaaners who didn`t seem to have much time for Saxons.

     

    My mate sidles up and whispers ” Don`t think that`s going down very well with our Scottish friends.”

     

    Just like you,I carried on regardless.

     

    It`s what you do.

     

    Still.:-)

  31. zimmerman - Conspiracy Theorist : Nothing more than a derogatory title to dismiss a critical thinker)- DAM Right ! on

    macjay1 for Neil Lennon

     

     

    good story,…give em’ hell,

     

     

    Can’t beat a bit of Bob,

     

    almost zimmer framed myself now ;)

     

     

    Got me remembering my old man and his favourite band,

     

    the only records he ever bought so i guess his favourite band.

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3QJPxiLOPo

  33. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    Really enjoyed the Clancy Bros. who,in fact were the Irish “trailblazers” mid `60s when “folk music” was in ascendency.

     

    Then I heard the Dubliners growl. A terrible beauty was born.:-)

  34. zimmerman - Conspiracy Theorist : Nothing more than a derogatory title to dismiss a critical thinker)- DAM Right ! on

    Saw Tommy Makem in the motherwell civic centre years ago.strange line up with Lynn Anderson singing rose garden,then ally bain doing his stuff,

     

     

    Makem was brilliiant though,keeping the crowd going with his craic between takes, as it was being recorded for t.v.

  36. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    Zimmerman

     

    Mate

     

    Saw Finbar and Eddie Ayr `73.

     

    Billy Connolly was a huge part of the “folk scene” and rapidly became the guy we had to see.

     

    Not to mention the superb Gerry Rafferty,the best live singer I ever heard.

  40. zimmerman - Conspiracy Theorist : Nothing more than a derogatory title to dismiss a critical thinker)- DAM Right ! on

    Ah,

     

    The Humblebums,

     

     

    a blast from the past,saw them when they used to play the Silverburn in Newarthill,

     

    although the big yin was probably better suited to stand up ;)

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