St Andrew’s Clinics for Children (STACC) Newsletter - Summer 2019
We are pleased to share with you the summer newsletter from St Andrew’s Clinics for Children. Patricia Barclay is very proud to serve on the board of this charity which was “spun out” of Glasgow University and has been providing essential healthcare to children in sub-Saharan Africa for more than 25 years. The charity has been supported by many of our clients and collaborators and we want to thank you for all your support. Every day children are able to get quality medical treatment and support because of you. As you will see from the newsletter however donations are down at the moment as is the case with many charities just now. If you are able to help us directly or would like to “adopt” us through your business, place of worship or sports club please do get in touch. We would be happy to work with you.
“If you want to preserve knowledge and enable it to travel through time, entrust it to children.”
From African Wisdom collected by Danielle & Oliver Follmi.
Once again, sincere thanks for the funds that enable STACC to provide support for health care for children in sub-Saharan Africa. Perhaps in response to anxiety about Brexit the amount received by STACC has declined during the last two years. Brexit may not be relevant, but other charities have also experienced reductions. The Directors’ Report and Annual Accounts for 2018 set out the situation (www.standrewsclinics.org.uk).
The Great African Bangle Culture by James Mellon was released in 2018. This fascinating and highly original book is available from Amazon. Sir James, a Vice-President of STACC and former British High Commissioner in Ghana, has arranged for his royalties to be donated to STACC. We urge STACC’s friends to order and enjoy his book. A reviewer wrote “…written by an outsider noticing something that insiders were unable to see.”
Despite financial strain, STACC has ensured its support for the Children’s Wards at St Kizito’s and Pope John’s Hospitals in Uganda will carry on but, for the present, at a reduced level with effect from this month. St Kizito’s admitted 1,025 children during the past 3 months while Pope John’s, a smaller hospital, admitted 2,894 children in the year ending July 2019.
Similarly, support for the mobile clinics run by STACCILEIFE in Nigeria has had to be reduced. The sooner funds improve the better. In the 3 months before the cutback, 2,909 children were treated. Malaria remains a most serious problem; over 300 cases are diagnosed and treated every month.
STACC’s BION project for Maasai children in Kenya involves the quarterly distribution of food and bednets. The team has asked STACC to fund a drive to increase awareness about adverse effects of female genital mutilation. STACC’s Board supports this proposal in principle but will not commit funds until results from a rigorous risk assessment are available.
STACC’s long-term support for the work of STACC/SL in Sierra Leone has helped generate a major improvement in the health of school age children nationwide. In 2006, 48% were assessed to be infected with intestinal worms. By 2016, this overall rate had fallen to 18% resulting from a treatment programme started by STACC and now adopted and maintained by the government. STACC/SL’s contribution to the national scale up of Essential Nutrition Actions, including the infant feeding programme, has also been extending across the country. For example, recently 3,597 children under 24months of age were served by STACC/SL thanks to your generosity.
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Bristows LLP hosted a successful fund-raising Dinner for STACC at 100 Victoria Embankment, London, on April 25th. Special ANZAC day biscuits were enjoyed. Thanks to Fiona Nicolson and Charlotte Goodman (Bristows) and Katherine Lawrenson and Kirsty Cullen (friends of STACC) for organizing the event.
FOR THE DIARY – 25th October 2019 from 7pm to 9pm you can enjoy “Songs for Our Children” – a fund-raising concert for STACC featuring Adele Paxton (vocalist) and Dennis “Mackie” McCorkle (guitarist) in Glasgow University Chapel. Drinks and nibbles will be served at the interval and there will be a raffle. Tickets £25 each are now booking online through Eventbrite:
STOP PRESS – at the AGM on July 9th – STACC’s members unanimously elected Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, STACC’s Hon. President, to join the Board.
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The key message of this Newsletter is STACC’s need for more support. So please visit our website www.standrewsclinics.org.uk , and please continue to support STACC (see the How to give section for details).
Please send Cheques, made payable to St Andrew’s Clinics for Children, to:
DWT Crompton, 101A Clifton Hill, London NW8 0JR or to
Mrs LN Robinson, St Andrew’s Clinics for Children, PO BOX 461, Glasgow G12 8QT.
Bank Standing Order forms and Gift Aid Declaration forms* are available from the website: www.standrewsclinics.org.uk.
Donations can be made via JustGiving: www.justgiving.com/stacc/donate.
*If you pay income tax in the UK you can enable STACC to benefit from the Gift Aid scheme. By signing and posting a Gift Aid Declaration form (see above), or simply sending a letter or email indicating your wish to participate in Gift Aid, STACC can reclaim tax worth 25p for every pound given - so £1 becomes £1.25.
St Andrew’s Clinics for Children is a company limited by Guarantee of Charitable Status and not having a share capital. Directors do not receive any remuneration. Registered in Scotland SC020553 and with Companies House SC140214. Registered office: 1 George Square, Glasgow G2 1AL, Scotland. STACC seeks to comply with Data Protection legislation. If you do not wish to receive newsletters, please notify DWT Crompton at the above address or by emailing: admin@standrewsclinics.org.uk. STACC does not share its address list with any other organisation.