UAE President gives £50,000 to local good causes

The cheques were presented on behalf of the president, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayad Al Nahyan, onWednesday in the presence of the High Sheriff of East Sussex, Mrs Phyllida Stewart-Roberts, by Staff Major General Juma Ali al Humairi, head of administration and manpower, UAE Armed Forces.

The beneficiaries were: Bexhill Senior Citizens' Club, represented by Mary Ward; Chaseley Trust, Sue Wyatt; Childen With Cancer Fund, Christopher Downton; Hastings and Rother Crossroads, Claire Fellows; Demelza House, James Hannaway; Hastings and Bexhill Mencap Society, Pauline Pritchard; Hastings and St Leonards Lifeguards Club, Amanda Paine; Leo House, Richard Lintott; More Eastbourne, Greg Stenton; Peterhouse, Colin Clarke; Project Art Works, Alison Digence; Society for Mucopolysaccharide Diseases, Paul Sagoo; Special Olympics, Hastings and Rother Athletics, Kathy Ledger; St Stephen's Startright Under-Fives Pre-School, Karen Saunderson; The League of Friends of Bexhill Hospital, Stuart Earl; Homecall Bexhill, Derek Stevens; 9th Bexhill Scout Group, Town Mayor Cllr Patrick Douart; Sussex Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, Rother chairman Cllr Joanne Gadd.

Guests at the technical training project at Wartling Drive were escorted by students to the Tunb Al Kubra enclosure, where refreshments were served.

There, they were entertained by the East Sussex Concert Band and the 1066 Pipes and Drums and with a display of falconry by Steven Charlton of the Sussex Falconry Centre and given a traditional Arabic welcome dance by graduates.

The Lord Lieutenant and Staff Major Al Humairy led as guests toured an exhibition of the work students had undertaken at colleges around the country.

These included a working model of an aircraft carrier/assault ship; working models of rudder and propeller control gear; a working elevator; aircraft wing spar repair and airliner fire suppression equipment.

The ceremony in the graduation marquee was conducted by a graduate master of ceremonies and began with a graduate intoning verses from the Holy Qur'an by another graduate.

In a speech of welcome, technical training project manager Colonel Hareb Al Dhaheri announced His Highness' gift of 50,000 to the good causes.

Graduation was not only a time of celebration of the effort students had put into their studies but a time to face the challenges of the future, he said.

He told the graduates: "You must remember that you are the future of our beloved country. I hope that you will serve it with honour."

The Lord Lieutenant presented prizes to award-winning graduates and certificates of commendation.

Trevor Luker, director of UK education, presented prizes awarded by Edexcel.

Colonel Hareb presented gifts from the project to the Lord Lieutenant, Staff Major General Al Humairi and Trevor Luker.

Cerrtificates of appreciation for their services to the project were presented to County Councillor Brian Gadd, Rother chief executive Derek Stevens, Dr Peter Chivers of Highbury College, Ken Cooper of Bexhill College and David Wright of Fareham College.

In the closing speech, the Lord Lieutenant referred to the long-standing bond of friendship and cooperation between the UK and the UAE. The UK enjoyed more trade with the UAE than with any other country in the region.