Donation of DVD , Video Camera and other equipment to Ullala School

Ullala Maha Vidyalaya is one of the leading schools in Kamburupitiya. This was founded by Dinum’s grandfather and the famous philanthropist in the area late Mr D C Hewavidana . Mr Wannige Aruna the new school principal has made a remarkable improvement to the school’s appearance and environment . Under his leadership the children’s discipline has reached the highest standard within a very short period. Parents, old boys and villages have volunteered to renovate the school buildings which had become dilapidated over the years. Quality of teaching has improved remarkably and parents have been queuing up to enrol their little children to Grade 1 at Ullala

At the invitation of the Principal , Dinum and his father Devsiri together with the members of their extended Hewavidana family members, retired Head Master S W Hewavidana, Dharmadasa Hewavidana , Ananda Hewavidana and the Local Educational officer visited the school on 4th January 2013. The school had laid a grand welcome for the VIP guests . They were garlanded at the school gate and were accompanied by the school band to the main hall. Smartly dressed children each holding a beautiful Anthurian were lined up applauding the the guest

After lighting the traditional oil lamp by the guests the ceremony started with paying respect to the school founder Mr D C Hewavidana . Devsiri, Dinum and other Hewavidana family members laid flowers in front of his photo and honoured him with a minute silence. The school then staged a beautiful concert where children in very colourful costumes performed cultural dances , and sang songs . There were many speeches from the dignitaries and staff members . Little Dinum Hewavidana entertained the children and guests with his unique dancing and singing

Addressing the assembly, Mr Sirisena Gamage further assured the children and parents that UK FRIENDS OF GALLE Foundation would renovate and modernise the school library and buy all the new books for it. Mr Gamage also offered a 5 year scholarship to one poor and bright child . Then to the great delight of children, little Dinum handed over a brand new fridge, a cooker, a kettle , a DVD player and a video camera worth nearly 200,000 rupees to the Principal. In his speech Mr Devsiri said that it was an honour and privilege for him to be able to support the school his dear father had founded. He thanked the children , staff and parents for the wonderful welcoming ceremony and promised to donate a valuable and prestige cup called D C HEWAVIDANA Memorial Cup for the winning house at school’s annual sports meet

In his Thank You speech the principal expressed his utmost gratitude to Hewavidana family for the amazing presents the school had just received. He thanked UKFG for their continuing support for the school and mentioned Mick & Valerie Chittenden of Essex who donated a computer and shoes for children a few years before. Mr Aruna assured the guests and parents that his devoted teachers continue to work hard to make the children achieve best O/L and A/L results this year

At the end of the ceremony, Dinum presented all 400 children with a British 2 Pence coin each as a souvenir . Finally all the guest and children were treated to Ice Cream.

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UKFG donates stationery to Sapugoda and Gatare school children

In 2011, Neil Carson, the CE at Johnson Matthey donated the beautiful Carson library to Sapugada Ratanapala school . At the same time Alan Hutchison donated a complete library with new books to the neighbouring school Gatare Junior. Dinum Hewavidana made flying visits to the both schools on 4th Jan 2013 . There were grand welcoming ceremonies at the schools where children performed cultural dances and sang songs. Little Dinum presented children with stationery which he had brought from England. . The two principals expressed their gratitude to Neil Carson and Alan Hutchison and said the libraries had made a huge difference to children’s education.

At the end of the ceremony the children and the staff were delighted to receive a British coin each from Dinum as a souvenir . Then the children and parents were treated to ice cream by Mr Gamage.

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Dinum opens the Srilanka shaped pond donated by Deshan to Massmulle School

In 2012 Deshan Hewavidana sold UKFG T shirts to his fellow pupils at Norton Knatchbull Grammer School in Ashford and raised £900 . When Deshan went to Srilanka with his family in July 2012 he donated 15000 rupees each to a few schools supported by UKFG in Kamburupitiya Srilanka. Some schools have bough various equipment with the money and Massmulle school decided to build a pond with their share

On 4th January 2013 Deshan’s little brother Dinum ceremoniously opened the beautiful pond built in the shape of Srilanka

The highlight of the opening was the concert staged by the little children. The [performed traditional dances and sang cultural songs to the delight of guests and the parents . As usual Dinum delighted his friends at Massmulle by singing a few Sinhala and English songs accompanied by his trade mark dancing. In his speech , the Principal thanked Deshan and his friends for the wonderful donation and said the Lanka Pond has become an educational as well as a relaxing place for children.

In his speech , Mr Gamage thanked Mrs Nicky Pharoah for her extra ordinary generosity which rescued Massmulle school from closure . He told children that that Deshan would visit the school with his family in July 2013 . As usual everybody was treated to ice cream at the end.

In the evening, on behalf of Nicky Pharorah . school’s former Head Master Mr S W Hewavidana handed over 5000 rupees each to the 10 children she sponsored and sent them out on a shopping spree. The children and their parents were utterly delighted with the money and bought school books, clothes and shoes with the money and said how grateful they were to her gesture

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Donation of a laptop and Digital camera to Children at Howpe School Imaduwa, Galle

Little Dinum, his father Devsiri and UKFG Chairman Sirisena Gamage went to Devsiri’s old village school Howpe Maha Vidayalaya in Galle on 7th January 2013 bearing valuable gifts. The staff and children gave them a tremendous welcome and put up a cultural show where talented children in colourful costumes performed traditional dances and sang songs.

Little Dinum Sang Sinhala and English songs to the delight of all the children and staff.

The school children were delighted too receive a laptop generously donated by Devsiri’s colleague at Rolls Royce (UK). Nick Lucas and his wife Janet . Dinum also donated his own Digital camera to the school . In his speech, the school principal Mr Sarathweera thanked Nick and Janet Lucas profoundly for donating a lap top . He said that this was the first time school have received a laptop and all his 400 children would be given a chance to use it. He explained how Hewavidana family and Mr Gamge had been the major benefactors of the school and thanked them for the hundreds of books, computers, a multi media projector, a camera and Brand new pairs of shoes which they had given to the children over the years.

The highlight of the day for children was undoubtedly the ice cream treat for everybody

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Little Dinum’s New year (2013) Visit to Puswelkada School

Little Dinum accompanied his father Devsiri and Grand father Sirisena Gamage to Puswelhkada school in the new year. Not only he gave away books to children but he also entertained them with his singing. At the end of the ceremony all the children and parents were delighted to receive ice cream from Dinum

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