Howard Pym

A heart wrenching story from Howard Pym!

While walking in the bush with some of the students from the Sierra Leone British Students Club we came upon a woman sat on a rock holding a very small baby in her arms.

The baby looked to be about 3/4 months old.

On looking closer at the baby I noticed its eyes were looking high in the air and its arms were limp. One of the students asked what illness the baby was suffering with in creol. The mother replied that her baby was not ill it just had not eaten.

When asked how long ago did the baby eat, her mother replied 3 weeks ago! We asked why the lady had not fed the child, the reply was ," I can not afford to feed it so I am waiting for it to die." At that point we took the baby from its mother and started to run to my jeep.

Placing the baby on the seat we drove very fast on dirt roads, until we reached a Chinese clinic.

There were two doctors on site, but they could not speak English or Creole, so I phoned a Chinese friend in London, I explained the position and gave my phone to one of the doctors. My Chinese friend explained that the child had not eaten for three weeks and very quickly the doctor started to treat the child. It turned out that the baby was a little girl, not 3/4 months old, but one and a half years. I never knew that children that were not fed properly, for long periods at a time, are a little like a bonsai tree, if you don't feed them they will not grow.

The good news is, baby is making a slow but sure recovery, and now lives with her mother at one of the students homes.

Howard Pym

Jack Ainscough, 71, has been presented with photographs of the grave of his eldest brother, Ronald Ainscough, who died at the age of 19 during World War Two.

Jack had lost treasured photographs of his brother's final resting place in Sierra Leone after his mother died several years ago.

The serviceman's grave was tracked down by three people from Albany Science College in Chorley.

Paul Ratcliffe, a lab technician, science teacher Belinda Baybutt and Howard Pym, each provided a link in the chain of events leading up to the grave's discovery.
For the full story and picures~
Howard Pym Sierra Leone

Animal 'Officers' Work Their Magic

Howard Pym with a party of dignitaries were treated to an amazing display of dog and horse skills on a visit to Lancashire's police headquarters.

The party included Chorley MP :indsay Hoyle, Coun Cath Hoyle, Lord Hoyle and of course, the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Latvia, Howard Pym. who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Pauline Pym.

Animal welfare co-ordinators Brian Twist and Lesley Jones welcomed the group to the Hutton base.

Mr Twist said : " It was a comprehensive tour of the HQ. First of all they visited the mounted branch and were welcomed by Sgt Tony Critchley who explained the training and duties of a mounted officer.

They watched officers and their horses in the training arena, followed by a video showing the teamwork of officers and horses on active duty on the streets.

We saw the methods they use for training such as patrolling crowds at football matches and concerts. It's amazing to see how the mounted branch has advanced since it started."

Intensive

From there, the group was introduced to Sgt Phil Kenyon and Insp Robin Howard who explained the intensive training required before a dog becomes a fully operational working dog.

He said: " The dogs showed everyone how they chase criminals and how they can disarm someone carrying a gun. They also did a practice run finding drugs and explosives."

The animal welfare department has been established by the police authority which has an independent panel who regularly do spot checks on the dogs and horses at various venues throughout the divisions.
howard pym blog

Howard Pym, was made honorary consul to the Kingdom of Latvia in August 2004. Howard is pictured below, with Brian Twist.

Howard James Pym with the president of Latvia

Howard Pym Web Site

Howard pym was travelling a long distance in sierra leone with his good friend, Janis and a couple of his pals.

Howard James Pym was driving from freetown to kenema. Here, mr pym met with a local chief.

4 hours into the journey, traveling in very hot and dusty conditions howard james pym came upon a crossroads, and to everybody's delight, there was a lady sitting on the floor with some pineapples
by her side. Howard stopped abruptly and asked the lady if her pineapples were for sale. Howard James Pym said 'thankfully, she answered yes'.

Howard bought a couple of pinapples and asked the lady if she would kindly prepair them as hey were going to eat them there and then!

It wasn't long before a large group of young children came running towards Howard and his friends.

Howard James Pym, if not an international businessman, would have been a magician!

As soon as the children arrived, howard went back to the jeep and produced a box with some majic tricks
inside.

Howard started to sow some of his 'world class' magic tricks for the children, when he felt a tugging on his trouser leg. The tugging was being done by a tiny little girl just old enough to walk. Howard picked the little girl up in his arms and
started to feed her some of the pineapple. By this time a much larger crowd of people had gathered and there was lots of noise and laughter .

After a few moments, a local police officer came to Howard and asked if i would like to keep the little girl. Howard replied 'no, the baby belongs with its mother'.

howard james pym, then asked the police officer why a mother would want to give up her child to a complete stranger, the police officers reply was, 'To give the little girl a better chance in life than she could give it herself'.

Howard commented that It makes him sad to think that so many of us have so much when others have so little.

In closing Howard James Pym said, 'Sierra Leone needs all our help. There are many people all over the world in the mind as that lady. We all want the best for our children'.

Mr Howard Pym, Honorary Consul Of Latvia attended the 4th meeting of Honorary Consuls in Riga on the 3rd and 4th of July. More than 130 Honorary Consuls representing 80 Country's were present.



Under heavy security from both the Police Force and Special Services the group were able to visit the beautiful cultural and historic city of Valmera. The present day Valmera is the biggest city of Vidzeme with bustling economic life, rich traditions of culture and sports, and appealing landscape. Welcomed by the Mayor Mr Inesis Bokis, and members of the City Council the group were invited to inspect the Vidzeme University College and its integrated Library, followed by visits to two factories manufacturing both milk products and Fibre Glass insulation, after which the group were invited for lunch at the Valmera Drama Theatre Café before joining the cavalcade for the return journey to Riga.

Resources
Latvia Tourism

Howard J Pym Honorary Consul For Latvia in the United Kingdom was present during a visit to the Medieval City of Cesis. The Meeting was hosted by Mr Gints Skenders Chairman of the Cecis City Council who gave a talk about the City's historic past, and then treated his honoured guests to a guided tour of the Cesus Medieval Castle where actors gave a demonstration of what life would have been like hundreds of years ago.

The Master of the Livonian Order, Wolter Von Pletenberg was also present and gave a talk about past events through the centuries that had taken place there. The Master hosted a Medieval Banquet and a good time was had by all.

Howard Pym's School In Koidu Town, sierra Leone.



This school is now reported to be the best school in the war torn region of Kono , Sierra Leone. In a tribute to mr pym the people of Koidu town wish to honour his great kindness and support in a special thanks giving day.

When asked about the school Howard Pym replied, 'this was not a one man job. The credit should go to all the people in the uk and in Sierra that helped to give a chance of a better future to these wonderful children . Maybe, one of our students, one day, will be able to aspire to great things, we can only live in hope'.

As other humanitarian projects founded and supported by Mr Pym emerge, they will be reported in .
Howard Pym, Sierra Leone stories