LOVE Zimbabwe organisers David and Martha Holman are focusing on a new appeal for this autumn.

They have just returned from a five week trip to Zimbabwe where they formally opened one water bore hole and drilled another.

David said, "What was very noticeable was how enthusiastic children were about the forthcoming football World Cup in South Africa next year. Football is the common denominator amongst the children as anyone can kick a rag ball around. The problem is that although they have knowledge of what is happening they will have no participation or involvement in the competition at all, and once again Zimbabwean children will lose out."

The couple have already started an appeal to collect as many football kits as possible to take with them when they go back to Zimbabwe at the beginning of January.

This can be shirts, shorts, boots, footballs or indeed any sporting equipment as local schools have virtually nothing at all. Football charity GOL who are associated with the official Welsh FA magazine, "The dragon has landed' have pledged their support and have many full kits already promised for this appeal.

They will also be raising money to send the kits as excess baggage." Martha said, "'We have just been given some community land which we have fenced off and cleared. At the entrance to the dirt track leading to the land, a group of village children use the road as a football pitch.

"We have become good friends with them and they will be the first group to receive shirts and a proper football. I can't wait to see their faces! We will bring back lots of pictures to show everyone in Abergavenny.

Things are particularly busy for the pair at the moment. Over the weekend of the Food Festival they are running their popular 'African Green Village' in the yard in Market Street.

There will be live drumming and African dancing from school children from Y Cantref and Our Lady and St Michael's Schools, who will also march down Market Street. 

There will also be stalls from Love Zimbabwe, VSO, Friends of the earth, Tools for self reliance, Operation Noah, Sewenergy, Bag Age, Fairtrade Abergavenny and Crickhowell, Taste Zimbabwe Food, and Send a cow. African music will be playing all weekend.

On Saturday October 3 and Sunday, October 4 the annual Wales World Trade Fair will happen. On the sunday the event will be at St David's Hall, Cardiff from 10am to 3.30pm. On saturday the event will once again be held in the Market Hall, Abergavenny from 10-5.

There will be 40/50 stalls selling Fair and ethically traded goods from around the world. At Abergavenny there will  be live music from reggae band Monsterhand and a 15 piece Senegalese drum band. There will also be dancing and drumming from the same two schools.

Food will come from Taste Zimbabwe and there will also be a sweet pancake stall! For children there will be drum workshops and the amazing 'Pete the Fool'!

The event will be opened by the Mayor of Abergavenny and David Davies M.P. Special guest will be Harriet Lamb who is the director of the Fairtrade Foundation.

At Cardiff there will be the same number of stalls plus live Zimbabwean music from the stars of Pontardawe festival  - 'Harare', who play a heady mix of traditional and modern township music.

This is the third year of this free festival and it is growing in popularity each time. Come and enjoy yourselves and contribute to something very worthy.

All profits are going to purchase a bus for Parirewa high school.

Martha and David have always been keen to encourage the positive side of Zimbabwe and to emphasise that anyone can make a difference if they wish to.

"People in Abergavenny have always been so generous and have helped us so much in the past," said David.

Love Zimbabwe have a documented record of completing projects undertaken, despite the ongoing difficult situation in Zimbabwe.

If you would like to contribute any equipment old or new for David and Martha to take to Zimbabwe you can contact them by telephone on - 07774608215 or [email protected]">[email protected]

They would be very happy to pick up anything you may have to offer. for pictures of their recent trip go to - http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovezimbabwe">www.flickr.com/photos/lovezimbabwe and for more info go to http://www.ilovezimbabwe.co.uk">www.ilovezimbabwe.co.uk.