About Us

Charitable objects.

Extract from the Trust Deed.

The Trustees shall hold the trust fund and its income on trust to apply them for the following objects (“the objects”) in the state of Kerala, South India.

  • The relief of financial hardship and mental and physical distress, including the provision of assistance with construction and maintenance of housing.
  • To relieve unemployment by any charitable means that the Trustees think fit.
  • To advance the Catholic Faith by any charitable means that the Trustees think fit.
  • To advance education through the provision of grants and bursaries and by any other charitable means that the Trustees may from time to time determine.

Guiding Principles

Kerala Partnership provides grants to trusted and sincere volunteer and community groups organised by village residents, and covers schemes relating to employment, housing, health (particularly dealing with mental illness), education and the relief of financial hardship.

These grants are based on the following practical “ground-rules”:

  1. the schemes are selected by the community groups and Kerala Partnership does not make judgements on, or interfere with, locally made decisions;
  2. support is available for all, irrespective of religion or caste;
  3. all money raised is made available in full to fund schemes;
  4. all schemes should be run by volunteers if possible, so the funds are applied directly for the benefits of those in need;
  5. financial grants should be used whenever possible in combination with local resources (time, labour, finance) to make the difference between ‘success and failure’ for the individual, family, community. Working in this sense of ‘partnership’ will mean the grant has been a contribution rather than ‘100% foreign aid’.

How we work

The trustees (usually David and Jane Clarke) talk with the village based volunteer groups to gain an understanding of the needs in a particular area and the ideas and plans make a difference’ that are proposed by the communities and groups themselves that will ‘make a difference’. A funding agreement is then drawn up for those projects that can be afforded which gives each ‘partner’ a clear understanding of their role and expectations. Funds are raised in the UK to support this agreement through donations, sponsorship and small charitable fundraising activities and events.

The financial costs of operating the charity are kept by the Trustees to a minimum. As a result all donations made by ‘non trustees’ are spent directly on the charitable venture – 100% application. Those things that need to be paid for to keep the charity running are covered by donations made by the three Trustees and there is always a surplus left from these donations to be spent on schemes.The requirements of the Charity Commission concerning financial reports are followed.

Kerala partnership is registered with the Charity Commission under a trust deed registration number 1088159. An annual visit is made by trustees to gain first hand experience of the work that is being carried out, verify the proper use of the funds and meet with partners to consider ideas for new projects or expansion of existing work. The charitable funds raised are modest, in the region of £10 – 12,000 per annum on average and to make the best use of this money KP usually only contributes part of the finance for a project, provides initial set up costs or supplements local fundraising.

Partners

KP currently works with many trusted and committed individuals and groups in Kerala, including:

The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP), Kalluvetankhuzi.

Divine Mercy Charitable Trust, Kattakada.

Daughters of St Francis De Sales, Vizhinjam.

MGM Charitable Trust, Kollam.

Neyyattinkara Integral Development Society (N.I.D.S.), Neyyattinkara.

Trustees

There are three charity trustees:

Dr David Shiers – Retired General Practitioner and former Department of Health (England and Wales) National Advisor on Early Intervention in Psychosis;

Mr David Clarke – retired Strategic Health Authority policy advisor on mental health and consultant on management issues in the health;

Mrs Jane Clarke – Housing Association Chief Executive specialising in housing with care and support.

Contact Us

Chairman D.Clarke 36 Greenbush Drive, West Midlands,B 63 3TL Phone: (0044) (0) 7939 037339 Email : djmbclarke@blueyonder.co.uk

Indian Co-ordinator D.A.RAJAN Mob:+91-94008 92266