Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2011

Scottish Charity Number SC040695

Current Trustees

Mr. Alexander Riddell

Mrs Elizabeth Riddell

Mrs Anne Harrison

Mrs Diane Ellis

Mr Keith Dodds

Mrs Jean Dodds

Mr Chris Madeley

Contact Address

c/o  Alexander Riddell, Machar , Arbeadie Road, Banchory.

Appointment of Trustees

Trustees hold office for an indefinite period subject to clause 11 of the Trust Deed (Termination of Trusteeship). New Trustees must be appointed by resolution of the Trustees at a special meeting.

Governing Document.

Uganda Schools Trust is a charitable trust and the purposes and administration arrangements are set out in our Deed of Trust.

Charitable Purposes.

Our purposes, as recorded in our Deed of Trust, are to promote the education of children in Ugandan Schools and the progressive development of Ugandan Schools.

Activities and Achievements

In March four Trustees, Sandy and Elizabeth Riddell and Keith and Jean Dodds travelled to Uganda at their own cost and were able to visit the schools supported by the Trust and to meet the sponsored girls. They also took the opportunity to discuss possible future projects.

In the year 2010 -2011 we have continued to provide support for three schools in Western Uganda, Kyebambe Girls’ Secondary School, Buheesi Secondary School and Glorious Preparatory School. Almost £20,000 has been spent on various projects.

 At Kyebambe the Trust has sponsored 15 girls, one of whom gained the best A level results in Uganda in 2010. She will now be able to attend Makerere University on full government sponsorship but would have left school two years ago without UST support. Several of the other girls supported by the Trust gained creditable results in the A level Exams. Overall results at the school have continued to improve and we would like to think that support from Uganda Schools Trust has played a significant part.

Trust funding allowed the school to bring water into the Biology lab for the first time in many years and a gas supply is in the process of being installed, funded by us. Text books for Chemistry, Physics and Biology were purchased.

Money was provided for sports equipment at the school and in 2010 the cricket team won a tournament in Tanzania and two of the team were selected to play for the national team. Funding has been provided for the purchase of additional sports equipment.

In September, Balinda Richardson, the Deputy Head at Kyebambe, visited Scotland and spent a week in a Secondary school observing the teaching and management of the school. Two primary schools were also visited. He came well prepared with specific objectives and the visit was very successful. While in Scotland he lived in the Riddell’s home and so no accommodation costs accrued.

 On his return to Uganda he has managed to implement a number of changes to Kyebambe.

Three laptops donated by “Senergy” were taken out to Uganda and the Trust paid for enhanced security of IT equipment in the labs.

Additional text books were bought for Buheesi Secondary school where results have also continued to improve. For the first time the school is offering A level to a small number of students and the Trust enabled the purchase of suitable texts. Perhaps as a consequence of improved results and financial assistance from UST the school roll as continued to rise and there has also been greater input from the Ugandan government.

Forty–three orphans were identified by the school and Uganda Schools Trust has agreed to fund a lunchtime meal for these children for at least the next year. The Trust also continues to give support to needy children at the school.

Discussions were held with the Head Teacher about the possibility of assisting in the construction of a water capture system for Buheesi. Two estimates were provided by the Head and this will be discussed at a future meeting of the Trust.

The roll has also continued to rise at Glorious Preparatory School in Kasese and now stands at around 460. The Trust has helped to fund additional building works as well as providing further teaching and play materials. A donation to the Trust, specifically for mosquito nets allowed the Trustees to distribute around 40 nets to the families of children in the school. Discussions were also held with the head on the possibility  of a water capture system.

Throughout the year the Trust organised a number of fund raising events; these include a sale of nearly new clothes in Banchory, a “Cards and Curry” event in Cardiff which included the sale of post cards drawn by the children of the three schools and the auction of works of art donated by professional and amateur artists in the UK and a sponsored run by the students of Richmond College in London. Substantial donations were received from various sources and individual donors have continued to support the work of the Trust.

Trust Remuneration and Expenses

 The Trust Deed prohibits remuneration to the Trustees and none was given. No expenses were claimed or given to the Trustees.

Reserves.

An end of year surplus of £7266 will enable the Trust to fulfil its commitments to Ugandan Schools to the end of 2011. Standing orders totalling £160 per month will ensure a continued supply of funds even if there is no further fund raising in the coming year.

The Trustees will continue to seek further means of raising funds.

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf.

Alex Riddell, Treasurer.