As proprieters at Braeside B&B in Drymen, we provide a comfortable bed for many of Macs Adventure's West Highland Way walkers, and a place to relax at the end of a day on the trail. For all bookings for 2017, we'll be making a donation to CCDO UK for each room booked through Macs Adventure. "CCDO?", I hear you ask? Well, let me explain...

Our Introduction to CCDO UK

My partner Colin and I were holidaying in Cambodia last year – the usual mix of 3 and 4 star hotels and taking in the sights. An amazing country in South-East Asia. Our guide, a young Cambodian called Vannak Mon, or known to everyone as ‘Nak’, asked us one day if we wanted to see more of the real Cambodia – we jumped at the chance! What we didn’t expect 24 hours later was to be sitting on the back of a smelly ox-cart, as the road were unsuitable for a bus or minibus, meeting the friendliest of Cambodian people in some of the poorest communities we have ever come across. [caption id="attachment_20026" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Scott and Colin taking life seriously![/caption] [caption id="attachment_20024" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Scott and Colin on a cart ride[/caption] On that trip, we saw a sign by a water well installed by the Cambodian Community Dream Organisation in the United Kingdom (I know a long name but we didn’t pick it! – we shorten it just to CCDO UK). We got to know the charity and in March of this year we took over the running of the charity in the UK. It is indeed our vision that the Cambodian community can dream of something better and we want to help. Poor sanitation and a lack of clean drinking water means that as many as 50% of children do not reach the age of 5, simply through preventable conditions like diahorrea.

CCDO's Vision

Our vision in CCDO UK would be to see everyone in Cambodia have access to clean water and hygienic conditions. Our mission is to try and turn that into a reality. £200 digs a well and £180 installs a latrine, an amount that for you and I in the West might spend on an overnight away or a night out with friends. In Cambodia that same amount of money can transform lives. We work in the north-west of Cambodia, in rural poor communities near the city of Siem Reap. The town that is famous for the incredibly beautiful Angkor Wat temples. We employ, through our sister charity in the USA, a team of local Cambodians who do the construction work. They are led by Bou Sea, and do an incredible job. We are going to visit the team again in February 2017. [caption id="attachment_20023" align="aligncenter" width="100%"] CCDO Well Group[/caption]

How can you help?

• You can donate to CCDO UK through our website www.ccdo.uk . If you follow the ‘Donate Now’ link on the website, and if you are a UK tax payer, then we will get the Gift Aid on your donation too. A nice added extra from the tax man!
• Text "CCDO44 £5" to 70070 to give £5 to CCDO UK
• You may also want to follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ccdointheuk .
• Of course we'd love to see you along the West Highland Way with Macs Adventure too, and we'll be making a donation for each room booked through them.

Thank you for taking the time to read about CCDO UK. It is our pleasure to team up with the amazing team at Macs Adventure, knowing that every donation benefits poor communities in rural Cambodia. One day we will achieve our dream! Scott and Colin