As a result of a holiday in 1997 the Glynn family established a unique charity in The Gambia – Gambia Tourist Support.  The simple aim was to create much needed employment and training opportunities for Gambian people, thus affording them the dignity of supporting their families.

Eventually, working with a local community, GTS was able to actually build a school, staff it with Gambian teachers and arrange the support of visiting volunteers,

Over time it became obvious that a second charity was needed whose aim would be to raise, manage and maintain funds for current and future educational projects by building a supportive membership.  Gambia Education and Teaching Support (GETS) was registered as a UK charity in 2004.  Since then we have supported the education of over 500 students by individual sponsorships, run a Nursery School in Bakoteh, administered projects on behalf of other charities working in Gambia and more recently, taken over the administration of an Education Centre in Bakoteh.

Francis Glynn, our founder, died in December 2011.  The trustees are committed to carrying on the work which he started.

GETS Trustees

What do we do?

We manage, implement and monitor a variety of educational projects in The Gambia, West Africa.  We meet regularly, usually via Skype, to discuss the various issues.  We are supported by a group of specialist advisors.

 Who are we?

Tony Nelson – Chairman and Sunrise Project Director

My background is as a senior manager with National UK Telecoms, Broadcasting and Radio Communications groups, but I have now retired after more than 30 years of service, working in network operations, infrastructure deployment projects and company change programmes. I’ve enjoyed a varied career and feel that it’s now time to put something back by helping those less fortunate. I am married (to Sue) with 3 grown-up children and 8 grandchildren, living in the Southampton area of England.

Following an invitation from my sister Rosie, one of the GETS advisors, I’ve enjoyed several holidays to The Gambia during the last couple of years. With my retirement, I now have available time and practical experience that I hope to lend to the charity with its various project challenges.

 Helen Touray – Sunrise Centre Director

With a Human Resources background in both the public and private sectors, I made a life changing decision in 2008 and moved over to The Gambia to manage, on a voluntary basis, all aspects of the charity’s operation.

I continue to follow the trials and tribulations of my local football team back on Merseyside, Tranmere Rovers, with regular updates from friends and family back home. Travelling the world has always been a passion of mine having visited Cuba, China, South America and other countries within Africa, to name but a few. However, for now, my suitcase lies empty and The Gambia with its people and culture is my passion.

Paul Webster – Treasurer

I live in Wales with my wife, Dawn.  After gaining a Bsc.Econ at the London School of Economics I trained as an accountant, I am a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. As one of my hobbies, is bird-watching, I am in my element when visiting The Gambia.

 Julie Limbrick

I recently retired from my post as Chief Officer of a large Age Concern Day Centre in Kent. My annual monitoring visits to Gambia played a large part in keeping me up to date with project progress plus legislative and administrative considerations on behalf of the charity. 

  Dawn Webster – Sponsorship Secretary and Nursery Advisor

I am a retired teacher and live in Wales with my husband, Paul. After coming to live in Wales, I learnt Welsh then helped in a school where all the teaching is done in Welsh. As the majority of the children at the school came from non-Welsh speaking backgrounds this has helped me relate to the problems that Gambian children have receiving their education in English, both from the point of view of the student and the teacher.

Ian Ward-Dutton - Secretary

I retired for the first time in 1991 after 30 years as an Engineer in the Royal Air Force, gaining broad experience of personnel and project management, the latter on both national and international procurement and development programmes.   Since then I have had further careers in IT project management, financial management in schools and as a veterinary practice business manager. Now fully retired, I keep busy as Chair of Governors at our local village primary school, as a panel member of the K.C.C. Schools Admission Appeals Service and as computer buddy in our local library.  I am married (to Jane) with 2 grown-up children and 5 grandchildren and live in Kent. I initially became involved with GETS in 2009 when supporting the breakfast programme for the old Bakoteh nursery school, which led to a month as a volunteer at the newly opened Sunrise Centre.  My aim is to help the charity improve life chances for Gambian children by whatever means we can.