Stuart Franklin, ON has provided the following information:
Dear Nottingham High School and Old Nottinghamians
After many years of various different activities since leaving NBHS in 1991, I am finally settled, at least for the next few years, here in Ecuador, living just 4 miles north of the Equator (yes, unfortunately I can’t claim to be living in the southern hemisphere, though I am there on a regular basis through my weekly visits to the office in Quito).
I have created a position within a local NGO that focuses on rural development activities, everything from environmental education through organic agriculture to alternative energy. As an organization we have training and education as our core value, empowering local farmers (or campesinos) to learn through practice, the sustainable development techniques we apply within their communities (but only by invitation).
Where I fit into the organization is as the Coordinator for a series of volunteer programs we wrote according to personal experiences at the start of our South American adventure. As a result of this job, our trip would perhaps be better called an Ecuadorian adventure as almost 4 years ago we started our quest to Patagonia and still haven’t left Ecuador (a truly amazing country).
Thus I write, not only as an old boy just getting round to keeping in touch (never my forte), but also to see what opportunities exist to shamelessly plug the volunteer programs and the organization I work for through the school and the ON’s. Our volunteer age range is 18-60 with an average of 22 years, but with a hefty number of post school and post university gap year students, and we have 3 volunteer programs to offer: organic agriculture in the Andes, Cultural Exchange (rural home stays) and Teaching in rural schools (under funded one teacher primary schools).
We have a web page at www.fbu.com.ec <http://www.fbu.com.ec/> but I am sure you will appreciate I would be extremely pleased to be afforded the opportunity to reveal my post school synopsis in the ON (from textiles to farming in one easy step!) and of course to research the possibility of advertising or placing information within the school for the 6th form leavers.
I eagerly await your response.
Yours faithfully
Stuart Franklin
1984-1991
