Off to India!

Martin McColl’s store in Timsbury will soon be losing one of its young assistants when teenager Vikki Hutton jets off to India on March 17 to use part of her gap year teaching drama at the Silver Bells School in Bhavnagar in the northern state of Gujarat. Vikki from Camerton and her friend Bryony Hall from Westfield will be staying with Ruby, the founder of the school and are aiming to co-ordinate the first ever dramatic production there.

The opportunity to work in the school which teaches children from 5-18 came about last December when Bryony went to India as a guest of a friend whose brother was marrying the daughter of Ruby. She was invited to come back with a friend and Vikki who shares a love of drama with Bryony jumped at the chance to embark on the ambitious venture.

Vikki said, “Two months ago I had given up hope of doing anything positive in my gap year but then this chance to go to India came along. It is very exciting but things have happened so quickly that I can hardly believe how lucky I am”.

Before they go Vikki and Bryony are holding a curry night at Mardon’s Social Club in Midsomer Norton on March 12 to raise money not for their trip but for the school itself. They are also appealing for books for children aged three to five which they can take out with them. Tickets for the curry night are £10 and will be a buffet provided by the Bombay King with entertainment included. They are available from Vikki on 07745466736 or Bryony on 07931623574.

Bryony and Vikki have both worked as volunteers at Somer Valley FM Community Radio and the radio station will be keeping in touch with them during the trip. They are also creating a blog for friends to follow their progress on www.allthe wayfromindia.blogspot.com.

For the last two weeks of their trip the pair will be off sightseeing in the Himalayas before returning to England on May 12. Then in the autumn Vikki will be off to Bournemouth to study multi-media journalism and Bryony is hoping to study advertising and design at Newport University.

Vikki Hutton (left) with Bryony Hall

Report by Malcolm Tucker


Page published on: 9th March, 2010
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