Minutes:
TRUSTS FOR AFRICAN SCHOOLS
MINUTES OF THE MEETING ON 25 MAY 2006
AT PORTCULLIS HOUSE WESTMINSTER
Present: Norma Empringham (Chair), Heather Flint, Tim Flower, Ben Howland, Will Jones, Tom Marshall-Andrews, Gill Marshall-Andrews (Secretary), Johnnie Morris
Apologies: Luke Morris
In attendance: David and Christina Morgan
1. Trustees welcomed David and Christina Morgan from the Eburru Secondary School Trust.
2. Update on local trusts
Eburru Secondary School Trust
Progress on the renovation work is good. Pictures are on the website under the news item 'Eburru School Renovations'. The donor Bonnik Hansen has been referred to the site. Money has been raised in Kenya for bursaries. The minutes of the latest Trust meeting have been posted. The next meeting is on 3 July 2006.
Green Park School Trust
Palle Rune has said that he and his partners in Green Park have agreed to fund the rebuilding of the school on land adjacent to the existing huts. They have other ideas about a primary school, trade school and bursaries for further and higher education. This is wonderful news. He will contact his architect shortly after his return to Kenya in June. We provisionally agreed that GP School Trust will seek to raise funds for furniture, additional staff, curriculum resources, outdoor play equipment etc. Minutes of GPS Trust meetings are on the website. The next meeting is on 20 June 2006.
Bishangari School
The establishment of a local Trust is being progressed by the owner of the nearby ecolodge. The Trust may have a wider brief than just the school so mechanisms will need to be in place for ring-fencing the education funds. Around £4000 still waits in an account in Addis Ababa to be transferred to the Trust and applied to the school and clinic. WJ indicated that he would expect the Trust to use the TAS project management system like the Kenyan trusts.
Asako School
This has not moved on mainly because of the difficulty of getting potential trustees together. GMA is working on a joint venture with AMREF (Flying Doctor Service) to establish regular flights to Asako. This would make it possible to establish a trust and start the process of improving the school.
3. Website
TMA demonstrated the new aspects of the site. Trustees congratulated him and thanked him for his work.
4. Project Management Systems
It was noted that the Project Proposal Forms can now be seen on the website. The system is working as planned so far.
5. Finance, Gift Aid and Disbursements
TF circulated the list of donations and some information about the process of claiming Gift Aid. We have around £4000 available to spend. It was agreed that:
* we send out £2400 to the Eburru Secondary School Trust for the first year's salary for 2 teachers at Eburru School (the second year's salary will be sent out when required)
* we send out £1600 for 2 eco- stoves (money for the 3rd is expected shortly)
* we reserve around £500 for the transport of NE's books which will be stored in a container in Green Park until appropriate storage and display facilites are arranged (GMA and NE will sort the books by age group prior to shipment); DM agreed to help get a good quote from a shipper he has dealings with.
* we will fund 3 computers at £40 each including shipment from Computer Aid International if our application is successful;
* DM will suggest to EBSS Trustees that they complete a project proposal form for 120 calculators.
* Gift Aid will be claimed annually;
* Journeys by Design have begun contributing £20 per client; this money will be sent to TAS as will the details of the donors so we can contact them and keep them involved. WJ was thanked for this commitment.
* addresses for all donors will be acquired and sent to TF;
* BH will investigate data protection issues;
* TMA will add to the website a page listing donors - not their addresses or how much they give;
* GMA will tell all donors what their money has been spent on.
TF was congratulated and thanked for his work.
6. Fund raising
* NE indicated that Fujitsu and Microsoft might donate. BH said Best Invest would be a possibility too. It was agreed that we should have a corporate sponsors' presentation event provisionally on 2 October at the House of Commons. Details to be decided.
* TF indicated that his partner Daniella would be willing to arrange a fund raising 'bash' to mark the first anniversary of TAS sometime in December. Details to be decided.
* Several school partnerships are being established or will be pursued. Wimbledon High School for Girls are interested in linking with Eburru; Kings College Wimbledon will be contacted by BH with a view to a link with Asako; Collis School will be contacted by NE for a link with Green Park School.
7. Visits to schools
GMA and TMA are going out to Kenya 26 August 2006. NE is planning a trip to Kenya December / January 2007. It is hoped that other Trustees will be able to go out in the future. DM offered accommodation and transport for Trustees when they come.
8. Next meeting
This will be on Thursday 21 September 6pm at Portcullis House.
