We are pleased to report two changes to the Trust that were agreed at a Trustees’ Meeting this month.
Ignacio Quintanilla, a Peruvian executive living in Madrid, has accepted our invitation to become a Trustee. His skills and knowledge will be of enormous value to the Trust.
Kathy Pollard, a supporter of the Trust for several years, responded to our call for a volunteer Administrator and has begun taking on that critical role. Kathy has recently retired from a university research career and is based in the Bristol area.
Starting this year, the Trust is increasing the amount it sends to the Home each quarter. The Home raises substantial amounts of donations in kind from local businesses and government in Piura, but it remains wholly dependent on the Trust for the cash income it needs to pay salaries, taxes and service providers, and to purchase any supplies that are not donated.
The Home’s cash requirements have risen sharply, because of staff increases following the changed employment status of its nurses, and of an increase in the national minimum salary. We have questioned their staffing levels, but the local Committee has reminded us that, because of the extent of the disabilities of the residents, the Home needs to be fully staffed 24 x 7. They tell us that there is only one other home in Peru that offers residential care, but which is unable to deal with children as severely disabled as our residents, whilst another centre providing therapy for similarly disabled children is not residential. It is thus of vital importance that the Home should continue in operation.
The Trust has agreed to cover their entire cash needs, which we believe we can do for some years. However, the funds required now exceed our current and forecast income, so we shall be using the Trust’s reserves. We hope the local Committee will be able to develop new financial plans for the Home’s long-term future.