Category: TV
Ent
Date: 21.01.2005
Printable version
Comic
Relief's Great Big Celebrity Red Nose Job, Sunday 6 February 2005, 5.45pm,
91Èȱ¬ ONE
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Comic Relief's Great Big Celebrity Red Nose Job follows
six celebrities on special journeys to Africa and the UK visiting projects
funded by Comic Relief cash.
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They pair up to take on three challenges that help change
the lives of people forever.
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In just 48 hours, Ruby Wax and Jo Brand
turn an over grown backyard at a women's refuge in the UK into a garden
for children to play in.
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Over in Africa, Kevin Whately and Jimmy Nail
test their handiwork by building forges in Sierra Leone to transform
guns and weaponry into gardening tools.
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And in Zambia, Nick Knowles, no stranger to DIY,
is joined by television funny girl Liza Tarbuck to make 3,500
bricks all by hand!
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They use the bricks to build a much needed clinic for
people suffering from AIDS in the community of Chianda, Lusaka.
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Without a cement mixer in sight all they have to get
the job done are spades and wheel barrows!
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During his time in Zambia Nick kept a diary to record
his thoughts, feelings and experiences.
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Nick says: "The last time I was in Zambia with
Comic Relief I was truly shocked by what I saw.
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"The effects of AIDS in sub-Saharan
Africa is almost beyond description and I was very anxious about returning.
This time I was to visit the community of Chainda, in the capital of
Lusaka in Zambia.
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"Zambia is one of the poorest
countries in the world - the average life expectancy is a staggering
32 years. There are 40,000 people living in Chainda, with not one single
doctor between them. Three out of five people are HIV positive and TB
is at epidemic proportion.
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"Comic Relief had challenged me to build a brand
spanking new clinic in just two days. A new clinic means that the people
of Chainda will have easy access to the health care that they desperately
need and, best of all, that health care will be right on their doorstep!
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"Gone will be the constant
worry about not being able to afford transport to far away clinics as
there will be first class medical treatment available nearby - treatment
that we in the UK take so much for granted.
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"And if they are too sick to get to the clinic
they can continue to receive treatment from the excellent 91Èȱ¬ Based
Care team.
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"So on Wednesday morning
I was eager to get going and meet the rest of the team, well, as eager
as you can be at 0430 in the morning after a very long-haul flight.
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"Of course there are no local builders merchants,
we can't go and place an order for bricks and mortar, pay the money
and wait for the lorry, oh no, we have to make the bricks – by
hand!
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"Thankfully I'm not on my
own, the lovely Liza Tarbuck is joining me for this challenge, and she
is ever so handy with a brick mould and a wheelbarrow let me tell you.
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"Liza and I met the women
who are going to run the clinic; the 91Èȱ¬ Based Care Givers visit patients
in their own homes, most of them are volunteers but there is also a
nurse called Christine.
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"The volunteers can provide food and give emotional
support as well as basic care such as changing bandages. Christine
provides all the medical care and can administer drugs to patients.
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"These are truly amazing women and they can turn
their hands to almost anything – including making bricks!
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"Between us we had to produce
3,500 bricks, it seemed like an overwhelming task, but we all mucked
in and being amongst all of these awe-inspiring people made the task
seem easier.
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"In no time we were beginning to work on putting
up the external walls.
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"Whilst Liza went with our
new friends Agnes and Christine (one of the 91Èȱ¬ based care givers and
the other a nurse) to visit some of the families that our new clinic
will be helping, I took a look around the old clinic.
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"It didn't take very long, as it was absolutely
tiny, nestled in the bottom of an old bell tower. It was difficult to
imagine how they stored all the equipment and managed to see patients
in this cramped space.
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"Inspired, I set off back
to the site eager to get those water pipes installed, and get the door
and window frames in place, the need for this clinic suddenly seemed
even more desperate.
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"Lisa and I made cups of tea for everyone and took
a moment to step back and appreciate what we'd already achieved in such
a short space of time, it's truly amazing what a bit of hard work and
Red Nose Day money can accomplish.
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"I went to bed absolutely exhausted but so excited
to get back to site tomorrow morning and get this clinic up and running.
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"Thursday morning greeted
us with a beautiful sunrise but there was no time to stand around oohing
and ahhing, we had basins to plumb in, window panes to fit, the electricity
to install and a roof to be raised!
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"In no time we were putting in the finishing touches,
testing the new water system and doing a final sweep up.
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"Shortly after midday we completed our challenge;
a brand new clinic for the wonderful people of Chainda.
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"It always amazes me how
people who face disease and illness as part of their everyday lives
can be so upbeat and positive about life, as I looked around everyone
was smiling and laughing.
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"Liza and I were exhausted but we summoned up the
energy to join the party. There was a band playing some tunes and a
choir singing their hearts out to celebrate our outstanding achievement.
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"I have to say there were quite a lot of comments
about my dancing as we congaed through the clinic, when I say comments
I suppose I mean jokes, apparently the people of Chainda had quite a
lot to teach me when it came to shaking my booty!"
