A Better Life
The Team
A special thanks goes out to our superb Masked Ball committee for 2010
Grainne McCullagh, Kasey Clements, Frances Campbell & Jules Murphy
And our ongoing sponsors
When I thought about visiting Mongolia it filled me with thoughts of a wild place with nomads wondering around the city...unlike any other place that I had been to, and actually I wasn't far from the truth. The more I read the more I discovered about the huge problem with poverty and 'Street Children'.
Leigh McQueen
Leigh Funnelle (professional name)
I am proud to be involved with A Better Life.
Liza and I met in 2000 at toddler group in Winchester spending many hours watching
little ones learn their social skills whilst we had a cuppa and some grown up conversation-
The reason why I decided to help Liza form the charity is that my family and friends have all and more than we need to survive.
The children we help-
If I can, in some way, change the direction of a childs life from the downward spiral of grief to a life worth living then somehow I feel I am re balancing the unjust balance in some lives.
A roof over a childs head, a bed to sleep in, an adult to protect rather than abuse and friends to share your life with seem very little to offer when compared to what we have and the choices we have before us every day.
A brief summary of who I am!
Appeared as a child in many Australian TV commercials
Stage Manager /Actress with Swan River Stage Company working with Western Australian Aboriginal actors and writers.
Returned to UK in 1982 to attend London Drama School Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.
Professional Actress appearing in many London Fringe productions and in the West End production of ‘The Merchant of Venice’ (with Dustin Hoffman directed by Sir Peter Hall). The Ambassadors Theatre & World Tour of ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses’ with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Television includes The Bill, Casualty, Spatz, Star Cops, Pie in the Sky, Spooks. Radio/Voice Overs include the diaries of Hana Maria Pravda (World Service), Something Understood and many voices for English theme parks.
I am married with a very supportive husband and two healthy children, a close family and many fabulous friends.
I hope we can create, for at least some children in Ulaanbaatar -
Leigh
Click below for more information
It's difficult trying to come up with something to say about myself!
I first went to Mongolia in 2004 as a volunteer. I had wanted to do some voluntary work for a long time and when I found the placement in Mongolia, I thought it could be just what I was looking for. I was placed with Liza in one of World Vision's Lighthouses (children's homes). Here Liza and I taught English, played games and brought the children out for walks in the city. I was amazed by the resilience and happy and affectionate nature of the children despite the obvious poverty that they lived in. Liza and I quickly became friends and have been in contact since.
The circumstances of these children affected me deeply and I felt a strong connection with them and Mongolia and knew that I would be back before long. In 2006 I returned to Mongolia for a holiday with my boyfriend Declan. We met with the World Vision team and went to visit the children in their Lighthouses. It was great to see everyone again and to hear the World Vision team speak so highly about Liza and her work.
In early 2008, Declan and I knew it was time to return to Mongolia again. This time, we will be more involved with A Better Life and we will be housing two families in need of our help. We hope we can make the lives of some of the street children of Mongolia a little better and do Liza and Leigh proud.
Cathy
I met Cathy in 2005, the year after her first trip to Mongolia. Cathy told stories of how friendly and welcoming the people were contrary to the poverty they lived in. She also described how beautiful the landscape was and how inhospitable it could be. My interest was sparked!
I met Liza when she visited us in Ireland in 2005. I was deeply affected by some of the stories and video footage she had of how tough the lives of the homeless children on the streets of Ulaan Baatar were.
I knew that it would not be long before I would visit! So Cathy and I organised our trip for June 2006 and upon arrival we met with some of the World Vision staff that both Liza and Cathy had worked with in 2004. It was impressive to hear how highly they spoke of Liza and the work she had done there. I was also astonished at how well received Cathy and I were at the Lighthouses when we visited. It was remarkable how happy and cheerful the children were although there were at times 20 of them all living in a small Lighthouse apartment! We also travelled outside of Ulaan Baatar to the Khovsgol Province and saw the unspoilt landscapes near Lake Khovsgol and stayed with some of nomad families there. We had an amazing time on our first trip to Mongolia together and we made a promise to ourselves that we would return sooner rather than later!
So earlier this year we made plans to return to Mongolia in October. We are both really excited about returning to Ulaan Baatar and working with Liza and Leigh to help make the lives of some of Mongolia's street children better!
Declan
Jules
Liza
Sue
Jules
Originally Jules helped us with our first web site and offered ideas and support.
Now we have a web sponsor (yipee!) she happily helps with odd administration and offers her 'Messy Play' services at our Charity Events which helps bring in the masses!
Sue is a glass artist and one of our sponsors who has designed and co-
Liza Bowers-
Sarantsetseg Byambasuren
Leigh Funnelle-
I have been involved with child care and personal development for over 18 years. For the past 4 years I have been focusing my energy and thoughts on developing countries, wondering what I could do help in some way. In 2003 I decided to join a volunteer group in London called 1 TO 1. After a teaching English course they sent me to Mongolia! I spent 3 months, teaching English language in small schools, and in my spare time I found myself wondering around the Ger districts of the city becoming more and more interested in the poverty that surrounded me. Hopping on the local buses being the only western person on the local transport was at times a little daunting!
I went to visit a few foundations, children's charities etc and one that got under my skin, really moved me, was of course....WORLD VISION. A week later I went to the Mongolian Embassy to extend my visa for another 2 months, left the organisation that I was with, and volunteered for World Vision. Helping as much as I could, escorting the local police at night to help locate the children from the sewers and in doorways, collecting them up and bringing them back to the identification unit.
The flight back home to the UK was a tough call as all I wanted to do was stay with the children that I had come to know so well and love, but it was my personal mission to return home and start raising awareness and money to take back with me. Each year since 2003, I have been doing just that. With help from my family and friends we organise jumble sales, Christmas fayres, and I also participated in a 30 mile bike ride. After giving lots of talks to local communities, churches and the Eastleigh Rotary Club, each contributed towards the Children of Mongolia.
When returning to Mongolia I have been working and helping with new ideas for World Vision, Mongolia focusing on: Child Development, Active and creative Play, Teaching English, Nutrition and Communication skills.
Last year with help from Colden Common Church and a sole benefactor we raised enough
funds for me to co-
FANTASTIC! but more work needs to be done.
Thanks for visiting our website.
I am Sarantsetseg Byambasuren. 26 years old. I was born in UB and living in UB from my birth. Now I working in one of the biggest business company in Mongolia. I was working for World Vision 5 years ago, and this time I met with Liza while she was helping in Mongolia. From this time we built very nice friendship each other and then however my English is always improving so I started to help the charity work in Mongolia as A Bettter Life translater
I always very appreciate and thank from deep of my heart to Liza that she came to Mongolia and founded this great charity work for Mongolian poor children and for thier families.
Also I wanted to say thank you soooo much behalf of Mongolians to all charity members specially to Leigh.
Also, helpers Cathy and Declan (I only know them), and all sponsors for thier wonderful and very kind help for Mongolia.
All the best wishes to you all.
Best Regard,
Sarantsetseg.
A huge Thank You to the following people as their help is invaluable and they make the team what it is.
Sue Tinkler, who has done everything from publicity to design and whose ideas are original and exciting.
Jules Murphy, web creator and supreme support.
Nic and staff at the the King Charles Pub, who have taken the charity on board for which we are really grateful.
The Dog and Crook, Brambridge
If you feel you could help us and would like to chat about possible input, do email us with your ideas, we would be happy to talk.
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The Team