Onwards and upwards ... work on first floor

Hope that you have all had a peaceful time during the holiday season. As we get to the end of December, you can see that work is progressing really well on the hospital and that construction is no going ahead on the first floor. This is how the building looks right now and Deepak has just sent these photographs from India.

I was there just a month ago (in fact I landed in Delhi on 28th November) and you can see how work has progressed since our last blog entry. We are hoping to have the roof on the first floor by the end of the month and will keep you posted, so do check in again later this week.

We would also like to say a big thank you to all who have donated over the holiday period - every penny counts and we are very grateful to all our benefactors! We are now looking at names for the hospital, and would like to hear from any of you who have suggestions.

Deepak and Charlotte

All this in a week!!

In just a week, the hospital has got its first-floor roof! It's incredible... so I'm not going to write a long entry here, just show you the pictures.

29th November 2009 - only left wing constructed

30th November 2009 - showing construction of right wing

3rd December 2009 - both wings constructed

5th December 2009 - cement being carried to the roof

5th December 2009 - smoothing the cement on the roof

Just arrived in Udaipur!

I've just arrived from England and have visited our site to see how building is progressing - and progressing it is as you will see from these pictures. I will be giving a full update in the next couple of days, so will leave you with these images in the meantime.

Dr Deepak Babel (right) on site with the contractors

You've had the plans .... now look at this!!

Just a few days ago we posted news about water and electricity, but now building work has really begun!! Deepak just sent these pictures from India and we will be posting as often as we can now to show you how work is progressing. I know how fast projects progress in India, and think you will all be amazed at what you see in the next few weeks, so PLEASE log in regularly and do tell your friends about The Raven Foundation.

At this rate we'll be up and running early in 2010 - if any of you are planning to visit India on your gap year, we'd be really pleased to see you in Udaipur - and with tourist season just beginning, any of our fans are welcome to visit if in the area. Please contact us and let us know your plans and we can show you the site.

Hope you'll log in regularly because each day will bring change for the Foundation.... so watch this space.

Best wishes to you all,

Deepak and Charlotte

Plans unveiled ... water and electricity on site!

This is a great day for The Raven Foundation and here is the first picture of how the hospital is going to look! We posted a few weeks ago to let you know that construction has begun on the hospital and are now putting up some more images - there is now water on site and electricity - and once the important Diwali Festival is over, building will begin. We know that to most of you, this still looks like a piece of land with a few holes in the ground, but PLEASE check in when you have time, because there will be many more pictures in the next few weeks!!

New electricity poles (on right)

Boring holes for foundations

Deepak has been working incredibly hard and I wish I could be there with him to help, but I'm staying in the UK for a bit because we have a lot going on here and I'm busy fund-raising. You will start to see progress in the next few weeks and we will post regularly on the blog - Deepak will be taking photographs so you can see how the building is progressing ... so watch this space!

A new day and building begins!

We haven't posted for a few weeks, but after a flying visit to the UK, Deepak returned home to India to sort out final details before construction could begin on the hospital. Just three more weeks have gone by and work has begun. This is a memorable week for The Raven Foundation and the part of the project that we have all been waiting for.

We couldn't begin work earlier because of the monsoon rains, but now the plans are finalised, the rains have stopped and construction has commenced. I would like to put the plans here on the blog, but because I am currently in the US fundraising, I don't have the facility to scan them.

When I return to England next week, I will be able to show you how the hospital will look.

Do check in again soon, because we will now be posting on a regular basis and thank you all for your continuing support.

Charlotte and Deepak

Too long since we last posted!! Part 1

Hamish, Deepak and Alex at the proposed hospital site near Udaipur

Apologies to all our followers for the time that's elapsed since our last post! We were all so busy in India that it was hard to find time to upload photographs and I hope you'll forgive us. But our trip was a great success and after the laying of the foundation stone, Deepak and I were joined in Delhi by my son, Hamish and his juggling friend from Brighton, Alex. Both are on Facebook and for those of you who know them, you'll be able to see their photographs on their home pages.

Hamish arrived from Nepal just two days after the puja and Alex arrived from London the same evening, so I spent most of my day at Delhi Airport - waiting for them, but both arrived safely and since we were staying with our wonderful friends, Martin and Annie Howard at Tikli Bottom (definitely the place to stay when in Delhi - you won't find anywhere better!), I was able to relax there in between the rigours of meeting flights at Indira Gandhi Airport. After a couple of days at Tikli, we left for the Taj - a must for all first-time visitors to this part of India.

It was hot and dusty and filled with tourists, but still a great sight to behold! The boys were completely aghast when they saw the white marble. And here we are - Hamish and me (left) at Agra, but we couldn't stop for long and the next stop was Jaipur. Another wonderful city in the Golden Triangle where we took in all the sights including City Palace, Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar, the markets, the Lake Palace and the boys rode elephants, camels, rickshaws and shopped!

With so many of you away on holiday right now I am going to split the trip into several posts, and for the moment I will leave you with these images from the beginning of our travels together. As I mentioned earlier, those of you on Facebook will have already seen many pictures of Hamish and Alex ... but watch this space ... there are many more pictures to come and just wait till you hear about their juggling!!