Organisations and Charities Supported

Since 2007, the following charities have received support from The Cicely Foundation. Amounts between £500 and £15,000 have been provided. Further information about the activities of many of these organisations can be obtained by clicking the bold title charity name and accessing websites.

Major Relationships – annual donations between £5,000 and £15,000

Demelza House

Demelza House is a charity which provides children’s hospice care in South East England. The main operation has revolved around the 8-bedded Demelza House Hospice opened in Sittingbourne, Kent in September 1998.

In January 2004, Demelza House identified the desperate need for a new hospice in South London, close to local communities of the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth and Southwark. The population of these boroughs at 1.836 million includes just over 460,000 children of which there are estimated to be up to 780 children who are affected by life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. As a result of this study construction work is now underway on a new-build 6-bedded hospice in Eltham, South East London.

The new hospice will offer the following principal services:

• Residential short breaks for children in a four bedded unit, together with accommodation available for families wishing to stay with their child.
• End of life care.
• Hospice-at-Home services offering trained nurses and carers to help with children at home.
• Day Care to enable families to leave their child with professional carers during the day.
• Bereavement Services and practical advice to the immediate and wider family.

The cost of construction and first-year funding alone is a massive £6.5million.

The Cicely Foundation has strong links with Eltham where the new hospice is being constructed and in 2008 donated £8,000 covering the cost and installation of two bathrooms. Our 2009 donation to assist in running costs will be £10,000.

Julia’s House

Dorset’s renowned Children’s Hospice located in Corfe Mullen, Dorset. Julia’s House provides respite care supporting children in their own homes and at Julia’s House itself. Their aim is to enhance the quality of the child’s life and provide a happy homely environment.

In 2008 The Cicely Foundation donated £3,000 and 2009 is seeing the relationship between the two organisations develop further with the funding of a number of respite trips for parents and siblings in the form of activity weekends at Hay Outdoor Training Centre in Wales. We are now also funding the £6,000 salary of a part-time Siblings Support Worker.

Youth Cancer Trust

Based in sunny Bournemouth, YCT provides free fun activity based holidays for young people suffering from cancer or any malignant diseases. They come from all over the U.K. and Republic of Ireland and can stay for a week at a time along with a friend or sibling.

The Cicely Foundation are involved in a variety of ways and recently made a significant donation to fund 50% of the salary for the new role of an Events and Fundraising Manager.

If you know of a young person who might appreciate and benefit from free holiday at this wonderful provision then contact the YCT via the above link.

Overseas - annual support of up to £30,000

Cicely Peace Matunda

Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest countries but is rich in so many ways; the scenery, wild life, lush vegetation and of course the people can leave you breathless.

Five kilometres off the main Arusha to Moshi road nestling in the tiny village of Kimundo, with Mount Meru towering in the background, lays Peace Matunda Orphanage and Primary School.

History

Born and raised in the area, 29 year old Unambwe Kaaya has been working for the last five years as a safari and mountain guide as well as developing the Matunda Cultural Tourism Project in order to fund Peace Matunda. He has opened his home and small plot of land to build classrooms and accommodation for some of the poorest children in the area. He is ably supported by his wife Joyce and relies upon a willing but sporadic team of international volunteers.

As a result of a ‘chance’ visit by Cicely founder, Steve Cliffen in 2006 and Steve and Maureen spending a week there in November 2008, The Cicely Foundation has decided to provide Peace Matunda with sufficient funds (US$ 2,000 per month) to cover their on-going running costs. In addition the foundation and its supporters have provided a range of other supportive measures ranging from volunteer identification, resource provision and delivering training and much needed additional financial donations.

The children are delightful, intelligent and funny. They are keen to learn and are working well in both English and Kiswahili under difficult circumstances. They are beginning to reap the benefits of what Peace Matunda has to offer. Twenty one children live at the orphanage in two rooms and just over 100 children receive their education at the school in four small classrooms.

Development

Kaaya has already achieved a great deal and has managed to create an educational and care provision that is helping meet the needs of this under developed and needy community.

The plan to build three new classrooms, a new residential building, a dedicated outdoor play area and employ more local teachers to work alongside the volunteers from developed countries is well underway due to Cicely support. However, the project is now desperately in need of further financial contributions to ensure the development continues.

In June 2009 a group of seven teachers and an engineer spent a week at the school to formulate a written plan to help ensure the organisations future and assist their development. The group was ably led by Marian Halliwell an Education Psychologist and included Steve and Maureen Cliffen as well as teachers John Langridge, Fiona Langridge, Eileen Griffiths and Ruth Thomas. Civil Engineer, Mike Halliwell, also attended. As a result of the visit a report and planning document has been produced which will help ensure that funds are effectively and efficiently spent and assist Kaaya and the staff in the future development of the school.

June also saw brother and sister team spending time in Tanzania. Cicely Trustee Billy Cliffen and Cicely logo designer Kate Cliffen spent three weeks at Peace Matunda learning about the provision and assisting the staff in the classrooms and orphanage. Billy returned for a further months placement in November 2009.

Jenni Miles from Bournemouth completed a highly successful two month stay at the school in October and November

In November 2009 The Cicely Foundation is sent a container to Tanzania, half the contents will be going to Cicely Peace Matunda.

If you wish to find out more about Cicely Peace Matunda, how you can help or even volunteer to have a placement in Tanzania please do not hesitate to contact us info@cicelyfoundation.com

We are currently recruiting a Project Co-ordinator for Cicely Peace Matunda. This post would involve a minimum stay of six months but would benefit from a Tanzanian salary as well as travel and visa expenses.

WATU (People's Participation In Education Trust Fund)

Despite WATU only being in existence since 1996 the organisation has been responsible for a wide range of work in schools in the Kilimanjaro region of Northern Tanzania. The combination of Josiah Mchome (International School of Moshi) and Richard Heery (International School of Geneva), two dedicated and passionate teachers from different continents and backgrounds, has made a significant and impressive contribution. With pupils from their respective schools, they have not only raised funds and been practically involved in supporting the education of numerous local children, but have also constructed, renovated and equipped classrooms, built toilet blocks, kitchens and teachers accommodation in more than 20 schools.

The major focus of WATU is now the construction of a Learning and Resource Centre on the outskirts of Moshi and to equip the centre with a science laboratory, computer suite, library and conference hall.

In 2008 The Cicely Foundation funded the six month placement of Sabine Jaeger, a V.S.O. project manager to work at the centre. We are also planning to send a container of education materials to Tanzania in December 2009, half of which will go to the centre.

Charity Links – donations between £1,000 and £5,000

Barnardos
Piam Brown Ward
IntoUniversity
Mosaic
Murry Foundation
RTCW (Round Table Childrens Wishes) VSO Exchange Project (Part of VSO – Voluntary Service Overseas) Willow Foundation

Project Support Grants –donations between £100 and £1,000

Coxlease School Student Council Mashudu