Minutes:
TRUSTS FOR AFRICAN
SCHOOLS
MINUTES OF MEETING OF
TRUSTEES ON 24 NOVEMBER 2014 AT E & Y 1 MORE LONDON PLACE
Present: Guy Cowley,
Ben Howland, Steve James, Will Jones, Tom Marshall-Andrews, Gill
Marshall-Andrews, Luke Morris, Ben Taylor
Apologies: , Lissa
Campell, Norma Empringham, Tim Flower, Johnnie Morris
Steve James in the Chair.
1. Minutes of
meeting on 8 September 2014 were agreed.
2. New Secretaries
We are currently still looking for replacements for Sarah
Wright at Asako and Kim Keppels for Madogo.
We will also need new secretaries for the new school trusts as they come
on stream.
Ben T will contact colleagues in Nbo to see if anyone is
interested.
3. School Partnerships
The three teachers from Norbury Manor Girls
Business and Entreprise College visited Usueni last week. The workshops in Business, Jewellry making
and textiles were a huge success and the teachers had an amazing time. There are plans to develop the partnership. A report on the visit was presented and will
be put onto the website.
4. Kimphe Langano Primary School
Will outlined the challenges being experienced by this
school. The Self Help Group established
in 2007 as the Ethiopian version of a local school trust has become
dysfunctional. Two factions have emerged
which is paralysing the group so no funds can be sent. Will is working with a trusted colleague in
Addis Ababa, Yohannes Assefa, to help to sort things out and establish a new
committee with a new bank account.
In the meantime, he hopes that TAS trustees will agree in
principle to support the teachers’ salaries for another year and be in a
position to send out the funds for that in the not too distant future.
The partnership with Heathfield School was
discussed. The rejection of visa
applications for 2 teachers from the school last year was discussed and Luke
suggested that any new applications should be made through his colleague who
would do the work pro bono. The chances
of a successful application would be greatly improved by this and by Vince
Cable’s letter of support.
5. Finance, accounts and Gift Aid
We have £41k in the bank to spend on projects today.
Funds expected/hoped for in the next few months are around £45k. Guy presented
accounts. Ben and Guy were thanked for
their work on annual accounts and Gift Aid.
6. New Schools
The process of identifying some new schools has been started. Letters of application will be collected by
Stephen in the coming weeks. They should
be available for Gill to bring back in January. It is hoped that it will be
possible to set up 3 or 4 new trusts in 2015. The challenge of finding new secretaries will
be significant.
7. Invest in Africa
Ben T outlined EY Foundation’s new programmes-
Smart Futures and Think Forward. He will
see if either of these might be applicable to the Norbury / Usueni partnership.
8. Inservice training
Guy outlined an Inservice training opportunity
for headteachers and deputies in secondary schools. Teacher Education in Sub Saharan Africa (TESSA)
has produced some on-line resources and Egerton University in Kenya is a
partner in this initiative. It was
agreed that professional development is greatly needed in TAS supported schools
and this might be a useful opportunity.
Guy will progress this.
9 . Proposals for funding
A schedule of projects was presented and funding of £69k
was agreed in principle. £40k of this funding
will be delayed until certain conditions have been met in the schools. One of
these projects related to part funding of teachers’ salaries in Loldia Primary
School. Funds for this will be
transferred when we receive the transfer from Loldia School Fund. See 12 below
11. Just a Drop
Further discussion of this is necessary with Lissa. Gill will contact her.
12. Loldia Primary School Trust
The transfer of support for this very large primary
school in Naivasha from the Loldia School Fund in UK to TAS is underway. LSF will transfer around £10k a year for 3
years to TAS for the support of Loldia School.
The local school trust is already set up with a strong group of trustees
including Joan Dickie who has agreed to be the secretary for the next 2
years. Once the bank account is
finalised a leaflet can be printed and the website updated.
13. Fund raising and 2015 Marathon
TAS has a place in the 2015 Marathon. Everyone will try and find someone to take up
the place - hopefully someone who can raise significant funds! Deadline of 19 December to find someone.
There is a wonderful penthouse space in Ernst and Young
office which could be used for a fundraising event if anyone can think of
something. Possibly a guest speaker and
reception? All to think about this.
14. Next meeting was agreed for 2 February
2015 at Ben H’s office 6 Kingley Street.
Many thanks to Ben T for
hosting today’s meeting.
Post meeting
note: Luke has found someone to run
the Marathon. He thinks he can raise
£1500.
