Upcoming Events
June Wondering how to get the warmth back into the British Summer? Why not let yourself be transported to warmer climes by the exotic spices of our next
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 Fulfil an Ambition?
Ever wanted to try a parachute jump? We are looking for individuals to jump for us and if you raise a minimum sponsorship there is no cost to you! What a better way to celebrate the upcoming Games than by completing your own Olympic challenge?
If you are interested then please contact Jenny who will book you onto the day at Old Sarum airfield on July 20th, or arrange a date that suits.
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| A Family Celebration
This month we're celebrating the success of our child sponsorship scheme through the story of Gelu in Romania.
Gelu's story began at a wedding when his mother was asked to dance. Within minutes she began to feel sick and retreated to the bathroom. However it wasn't the dancing that was the cause and Gelu was born right there on the floor!
After a brief stay in hospital Gelu returned home with his parents and two sister, but he was unwell and doctors advised he needed medical care. After 4 days at the hospital Gelu's parents expected their baby boy to return home however he was transferred without their knowledge or consent to another institution. They frantically searched for him but on finding where he was they received the heart wrenching news that their baby son was dead.
That should have been the tragic end to the story, except that Gelu was very much alive having been placed in an orphanage. 18 years passed and like his companions in the orphanage of the same age Gelu was thrown out onto the streets with no support. That is when he came into contact with The Way of Joy and People against Poverty. Although older than the majority of those on the child sponsorship scheme Gelu's story was so unique that it seemed wrong to exclude him support. The scheme was tweaked with funds going not only to ensure that he received regular means and medical care of his Hepatitis C, but to the Legal project at The Way of Joy to provide Gelu with a small job. After all who better to work at reuniting families than someone who truly understands what that means?
In 1999 Gelu started searching for his parents but it wasn't until April of this year he finally managed to track them down. With his parents now separated it was his mother that Gelu met with first. It was a very emotional and tearful reunion not only with his mother but two sisters as well. Meeting his father was to provide Gelu with a wonderful surprise, when his father opened the door the first words he said were "you are my son". Gelu and his father are so alike they even have the same mannerisms!
If you think child sponsorship is just about education and food then think again. Yes it does provide these things but it does so much more than that. It really does change lives, in this case it even brought a mother's son back from the dead!
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Do you need a new photo copier, printer or know someone who does? Business against Poverty member Office Evolutions will donate 100% of the profit to us from any sales made to a BaP member or a customer recommended to us by a BaP member. This money will be used to build a Sanctuary Home.
If you are interested please call Steve Davis on 0845 521 0640 or click here for more details.
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Member of the Month Colin Skull of B20 Ltd Chartered Accountants, Alton and Trowbridge. B20 is a family run accountancy practice serving the Hampshire, Surrey and Wiltshire areas.
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| Time to Celebrate !
Last weekend we witnessed some amazing celebrations across the country. People coming together to honour the Queen and all that is Great about Britain. As the bunting comes down and we return to everyday life it would be easy to lose sight of what we have to be thankful for, but when I reflect on it I realise that myself, Valerie and the Charity have so much to grateful of.
Last year as the recession began to hit we had to make cutbacks, but when you have 300 mouths to feed that is a frightening prospect. We focused on our operating costs and made some tough decisions. With our rebranding exercise almost complete, and central to our growth strategy, we decided to see that through to the end. We cancelled our tenancy on our lovely Trowbridge offices and moved to smaller serviced offices. Redundancies followed along with pay cuts to the modest salaries of our remaining staff. Things were tough but we were hanging in there, then life changes meant staff left. Val and I had a lot to pray for including sleep!
Reading this you may wonder what it is we have to be grateful for? Having made the changes we needed, blessings starting to rain down on us. It started as a trickle with the success of the rebranding creating new opportunities. Project finances started to increase as donors responded generously to our appeals. The new offices are in beautiful surroundings and bring a new joy. We recruited new staff, Jenny and Chris and our volunteer Jon, who have proved amazingly successful in building our future. Business against Poverty membership has grown and a magnificent donation was received for the completion of Dobrovat house. A downpour of blessings!
We are coming up to the People against Poverty brand's 1st birthday and our future looks very different. God has been faithful to our work, more lives are being saved than ever and as I look out at the rain it just makes me think of our renew and growth. If you are reading this you are probably part of our success story. God Bless you.
Bill Huxley
Chair of Trustees
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| Give the Gift of £1
 £1! Yes £1 is all we need to purchase 30 Cholera tablets for the orphans in Haiti. These 30 tablets will provide 3 weeks of clean water!
If you want to donate please call us on 01225 718920 or donate online. |
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| What a Birthday!
When we told you that the best Birthday present we could hope for was the completion of Dobrovat House we never could of predicted what would happen next. An amazing individual made an anonymous donation that was significant enough in size for us to be able to complete all major works!
As a result on July 2nd Dobrovat House will open it's doors to 30 children for their annual summer Camp. For the first time the children will be able to stay over for 3 days and nights of fun with full washing and kitchen facilities. During the following weeks throughout July just over 150 children, whose day to day lives are lived out in extreme poverty, will be able to enjoy what Dobrovat House has to offer and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Youth and community groups, churches, and families seeking counselling are just a few of those who will now be able to make the most of this most precious resource.
Whilst the major works are now over we still need all the necessities of life like duvets, kettles, shampoo etc. If you would like to put the icing on our birthday cake then you can donate funds for specific items; follow this link and click on the windows and doors of Dobrovat House to see which items are needed and how to donate.
Bill and I will be going out to Romania to celebrate the opening of the House with the children. We are expecting to have quite a party, and will not be forgetting all the individuals over the years who have donated money towards this project including our our support partners Just A Drop and Link Romania (UK).
If our anonymous benefactor is reading this, and we truly hope you are, then words cannot express our gratitude. God Bless xx |
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Give the Gift of Hope
Gelu's story shows what a difference your Child Sponsorship can make. Boston, a Malawi boy, is a child who really needs the chance you can give him.
Boston is HIV positive, his mother died of AIDS leaving his grandmother to raise him. When she recently passed away Boston was left alone with no immediate family. A distant aunt has stepped forward to look after him but she is also HIV positive.
Right now Boston's future is bleak. Although he is already supported by his generous sponsor these funds can only cover his day to day living and medical costs. What Boston really needs is a stable environment and the project believe the way to achieve this is for him to attend a boarding school. There he will be supported by people who not only care for him, but understand his needs both in terms of education and environment. Are you able to make the difference he so desperately needs? If you are interested in helping please click here and perhaps one day we will be celebrating Boston's story!
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The Entrepreneur
Have you entered your business into this year's Entrepreneur competition? This is the 3rd year of this highly successful initiative, and the winner will be announced at the Black & White Ball on 24th November. Prizes include The Entrepreneur trophy, a free spread in the Bath Chronicle and a place on an Awareness trip to a Romania project.
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| Business against Poverty - New Director
Last month we announced that Karen Ramirez was standing down after serving us so magnificently as Director for BaP.
We are very excited to announce that Tracy Tenant, General Manager at Bailbrook House Hotel has accepted the position as Director of Business against Poverty.
Anyone familiar with fortunes of Bailbrook House Hotel will know that it has seen a dramatic turnaround since Tracy took hold of the reigns there, applying her business acumen and inspiring the staff with working practices such as entering (and winning) The Entrepreneur. We are delighted to have her joining the team and cannot wait to see what she has in store for us!  |
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| Stonor School - Cycle
Last month Stonor School's Challenge Romania 2012 team cycled nearly 60 miles in order to raise funds towards their trip in October. The girls, blessed with dry weather, cycled from Bradford On Avon to Bristol and back again with a well earned breakfast pit stop at the halfway point.
The funds they raise will enable the eight sixth formers to travel to Romania this October to build a Sanctuary House for a deprived family. More money raising events are planned throughout the year and we wish the girls well with all their endeavours!
Show the girls support and join Val at the Stonor School Summer Fete on Saturday 23rd June, 9-12. |
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