Parguay ambassador's thank you to Weybridge

Mar 31 2010 By Vicki Eltis

L-r:- graham aston is congratulated by HE. Sinor. Miguel a. salano lopez(the paraguayan ambassador)

THE Paraquayian Ambassador has made a special trip to Weybridge to thank residents who had donated to Project Paraguay 5.

Miguel Solana Lopez visited St George's Hill Lawn Tennis Club on Wednesday March 31 where he was greeted by residents including Graham Aston, organiser of the project, which delivers containers of goods to the poor of Paraguay.

Mr Aston, of Cleves Wood, Weybridge, appealed to residents in 2009 to donate second-hand goods such as clothes, footwear, tools and toys to help make Project Paraguay 5 a success. It was the fifth year Mr Aston had sent goods in a 40ft container on the 6,000 mile journey to the South American country, with the help of removal company Luxfords of Weybridge, based in Avro Way.

He said: "We are delighted and honured to greet Miguel Lopez. I wanted to invite all the people who helped me with this project here to thank them for all their help."

There has not been a Paraguyian Asmbassador since 2002 and one reason why Mr Lopez was chosen, former ambassador of Japan, was because his great-grandfather Francisco Solano-Lopez was the first ever ambassador for Paraguay and in 1853 had presented his credentials to Queen Victoria.

Mayor of Elmbridge councillor James Vickers also attended the event among more than 100 visiters who enjoyed refreshments and got to see photographs of some of the Paraguyains who benefitted from donations.

A huge proportion of the population live in substandard accommodation, shanti areas called Chacaritas or in flimsy dwellings covered in tarpaulin in the Chaco areas (or jungle areas).

Mr Lopez said: "Gratitude is a big thing and so many people don't get the chance to say thank you. That's what brings me here. Graham and people of this community do incredibly, beneficial work that greatly reaches out to the citizens of Paraguay.

"These donations reach out and touch people's lives. The number of people who have been touched by their generosity is hard to describe. I am very grateful that the Mayor of Elmbridge also took time out to meet me."

Mr Lopez explained that to laundry one shirt in London was the same price as laundering 20 shirts in Paraguay, adding: "These donations are so important for Paraguayan's but it's impossible to put into context. The cost of living is so much lower than in Britain."