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Trip to London Zoo
Organized by Kingston Somali Community Association on 10 Nov. 2007.

This outing has been funded by Thames Community Foundation.

48 members of the Somali community in Kingston visited London Zoo on the 10th of November 2007. The group departed from Piper Hall at Cambridge road, Kingston upon Thames at 10:30 Am and arrived at the Zoo at 11:45 Am.
The group, especially the children and the youth enjoyed watching the animals in the zoo which included lions, tigers, Giraffes from Africa, birds and various species from different parts of the world.
This was a unique experience for the Somali Community in Kingston as it has been the first trip for most of the members to the Zoo. Members also enjoyed nice food and refreshments from the restaurants in the Zoo paid for by KSCA.



This activity has encouraged parents to come out of their homes and take part in the community activities . It has also made members to exchange their views and socialize together.
On the 15th of Dec. 2007 most of the Somali community residents in the RBK were invited to this event . Food was catered from Staitham , South London by a Somali Town Resaturant for the adults while few dishes of take aways were taken from the local Pizza shop as requested by the youth. This event was apprecaited by the community memebers as it has brought together on the festuval day. Most of the members have to wear the traditional colour wear of the Somali cultural clothes while children wore brand new clothes as per the Muslim Eid tradition.

The event started after the 11:30 Am when the Eid morning prayers was concluded at the local mosque in Kingston and people started flogging to Piper Hall where the festival was taking place. The event was going untill the evening where women started distribtiing sweets among them selves in the evening and and had some traditional dancing.
Soccer Games
The picture shows youth preparing for soccer event at Goals, New Malden. Various events which ran for period of 4 months and which about to be concluded before the end of March 2008 were funded by Thames community Foundation. This activity has been very much appreciated by the youth who have requested the Somali Community Association to seek further funding for these activities throughout the year. Most kids who played in these games never had the opportunity to experience the facilities at Goals, New Malden playground and were very excited with these games. The turnout was overwhelming. 24 players turned out the first event and, although the pitches are small and the weather was rough, they completed the allotted 2 hour period allowed. The youth also requested for the provision of soccer game uniforms which was not part of the grant . KSCA is currently in the process of applying for funding to London Sports for the continuation of these activities.

In conclusion , the Somali Community in Kingston would like to thank the Thames Community Foundation for funding these activities and hope that further funding similar to this will be given by other donors.