Liverpool based fundraising group for children's Hospital in Yemen launches unique fashion sale

HABIBTI Liverpool are becoming well known in the City for their inclusive events, sales and fundraising which raise vital funds and resources which go directly to the Al-Sabeen Children's Hospital in Sana'a in Yemen. Habibti was 1st launched when Dr. Najla Al-Sonboli returned to Yemen after some time at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. As war broke out there, Dr. Najla decided to remain, and with the help of Professor Sally Theobald and her colleagues and alumni at LSTM, this groundbreaking fundraising effort based around 1 major medical facility was born. Al-Sabeen Hospital is the only centre in Yemen with a functioning Paediatric Intensive Care Unit aiming to provide accessible adequate medical care.

Habibti as a solidarity fundraising group supports Al-Sabeen on many levels. It is able to provide key resources to help health workers do their jobs, PPE, purchase vital life saving machines, basic medical equipment and pay for tests and investigations that families cannot afford for their child. International aid to support Al-Sabeen and other Hospitals in need has been cut by up to 80% since 2021.

The team behind Habibti are well aware of the challenges facing the health care workers they are helping to fund, and the children desperately in need of their assistance. However, as a fundraising group they aim to keep their efforts at home as uplifting, joyous and fun as possible. Their regular pop-up shops at Granby Market in Liverpool 8, on the 1st Saturday of every month, are real community affairs; they give everyone in the family a chance to pick up a bargain, from toys to books to clothing. Their 'pocket money toys' start at just 10p, and they set a cap of ₤10 for any item, to ensure their pop up is accessible and affordable.

During lockdown periods the Habibti team had to get creative with fundraising, and turned to their online Facebook community. As Habibti started attracting national attention, as well as local support, plus some international input, the team decided to launch their 1st online fashion sale. This was to sell specially curated vintage fashion items, designer pieces, and donated silks from India and China. As some of these items were valuable, the online fashion sales were able to raise increasing funds, as the market for vintage and rare pieces has really grown as a fashion marketplace.

For their next Facebook fashion sale, on Saturday, 9 April 2022, head onto the Habibti Facebook page, the team are proud to present amongst their ticket items a stunning lace cape shawl. Made of antique Irish lace, it has been rejuvenated painstakingly to restore it to its former glory, with some tiny fuschia pink detailing added to complete its glow up.

Louise O'Brien of Habibti Liverpool explains:- "We are 7 years into our fundraising now, and it has never been more important to us as a group. We want to make sure the people of Yemen, and the team at Al-Sabeen Children's Hospital continue to receive our support. The people of Liverpool have always been so very generous, and our Yemeni community in the City provides us with such valuable input. For us, the fashion sales give us an opportunity to raise extra funds, as some of the pieces that come in are unique. Our Granby Market pop up is a fun, family event where we want everyone in the area to join us. The online events mean people can attend from extended locations. I'm really aware that the news from around the world can be overwhelming at times. However, I have found that what we do at Habibti Liverpool touches people's hearts, as they can see via our social media content a direct link between any donation made and how it helps the teams at Al-Sabeen. We also get to talk to them about how the funds are used in more detail. As well as supporting medical personnel, we also help out support staff such as porters and cleaners, who come from the most financially challenged backgrounds. After 8 years of war in Yemen, resources on every level are scarce and often inaccessible for everyone linked to Al-Sabeen. Our Ramadan sale on Saturday, 9 April 2022, is to help raise funds for targeted food parcels for the malnutrition clinic at Al-Sabeen. Families who access this clinic are some of the very poorest in the Region, and we help provide essentials and basics to keep them going. Children with long term health conditions and disabilities can be overlooked, and so we want to ensure we can assist them as much as we can. We look forward to welcoming new faces next time we are at Granby Market, and also avid fashion hunters at our online Facebook sale."

Liverpool based fashion and style writer Nancy Buckland Kirk adds:- "I was contacted by a mutual friend to help Louise value some of the vintage finds she was able to access. I love fashion history, and I am good with dates, so straight away I knew which collections pieces came from, whether they were from Prada or Stella McCartney for Chloe. I know that designer vintage items are really in demand right now, especially amongst buyers looking out for nineties and Y2K styles. Bridal fashion is an industry in its own right, and having seen the shawl in question, it is just beautiful. It would look gorgeous over a simple wedding dress, or over 1 of the pretty bright silk slip dresses I'm seeing right now. I really enjoy the Habibti Facebook fashion sales. People who really love fashion enjoy adding pieces to their wardrobes which have a story to tell."

The team behind Habibti Liverpool, who are all volunteers who give of their time and efforts freely, appreciate the support they receive through all of their fundraising initiatives, and their next fashion sale will give style hunters a chance to pick up some covetable pieces, knowing their purchases will really help a community which requires ongoing and sustained support.

To donate directly to raise funds for the Habibti Liverpool group go to:- JustGiving.Com.

The Habibti Ramadan fashion sale is live on their Facebook Page, at 7pm, on Saturday, 9 April 2022.t

Levelling Up with Hugh Baird
Photographs by:- LeeBoswellPhotography.com

HUGH Baird College and University Centre recently welcomed over 300 School pupils to their Bootle campus to experience a 'Level Up - Education to Industry' event.

The 1 day marketplace style event offered pupils the chance to find out about the T-level courses provided at the College and Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) at the Hugh Baird University Centre, that are being introduced in 2023. The event was sponsored by Shaping Futures and MSP.

T-levels are an alternative to Alevels, Apprenticeships and other 16 to 19 courses. Equivalent to 3 Alevels, they focus on vocational skills and can help students into skilled employment, University, or an apprenticeship. HTQs new qualifications that are replacing Foundation Degrees and Higher National Diplomas at Level 4.

At the Level Up event, pupils were able to meet and engage with over 25 employers, take part in interactive activities and watch live demonstrations. Pupils were also treated to a show by Titan; an 8 foot robot. Employers who attended on the day included:- Peel Ports, DHL, Scenegraph Studios, VR Here, John Sisk, Mersey Care and Liverpool John Moores University.

When asked about the event, a representative from Childwall High School, said:- "Thank you so much for inviting us to the event. Our group got a lot out of the Engineering talk, the opportunity to speak to the different employers and college staff. Giving everyone a common experience made it easier for the students to approach the stall holders and to start a conversation. 1 of my students told me that he got lots of contact emails for employers offering apprenticeships and he is looking forward to contacting them to find out how to apply."

David Tully, Director of Scenegraph Studios, said:- "It was great to be a part of this event and fantastic to get feedback from the students about what they expect from employment. It was great to interact with them."

When speaking about the day, Colette Mawdsley, Assistant Principal of Hugh Baird University Centre, said:- "The Level Up event was a great way to showcase what the College is doing in response to the Government Skills White Paper and the Levelling up agenda. It also highlighted, to local Schools, the range of courses on offer from Level 3 T-levels to Level 5 Higher Technical Qualifications and how our curriculum is shaped and enhanced by employers to ensure it is current and industry focused."