patricia pearson
The Robert Grace Trust's 25th Birthday
Fundraising for The Robert Grace Trust
Story
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>THE TRUSTEES OF THE ROBERT GRACE TRUST INVITE YOU TO SUPPORT OUR 25th BIRTHDAY PARTY</strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">A Silent Auction of affordable art @ Candid Arts, Angel, Islington, London</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Friday 9th March 2012, 6pm - 11pm, last bids at 9.30pm</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Entry £12, Buffet £8 </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tickets at the door.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><a href="http://www.robertgracetrust.org.uk">www.robertgracetrust.org.uk</a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>The Robert Grace Trust</strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Robert Grace Trust was set up in 1987 in memory of architect Robert Grace, following his death from AIDS, to provide immediate practical help to people with HIV/AIDS and their carers.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The charity has given 98% of over £600,000 raised via their RGT Hardship Funds, to those they wish to help. Initially, giving was channelled through the HIV/AIDS counsellors at </span>London<span style="font-family: Arial;">’s Middlesex / Mortimer Market and </span>Royal Free Hospitals<span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In 2000, this was extended to two South African NGOs - Nkosi’s Haven and Community Action in </span>Johannesburg<span style="font-family: Arial;">, and in 2004 to </span>St Paul<span style="font-family: Arial;">'s Children’s Rescue Centre in </span>Nairobi, Kenya<span style="font-family: Arial;">. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In 2010 the Robert Grace Trust re-connected with the Patient Counselling Service at Mortimer Market, re-instating their Hardship Fund via this service.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">More: Nkosi’s Haven and Nkosi's Haven Vukani</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Nkosi’s Haven was started by Gail Johnson to ensure that families of people with HIV/AIDS could stay together, unlike Nkosi Johnson and his mother who died of AIDS.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Nkosi's Haven is home to 50 AIDS orphans and HIV positve mothers and their children, who attend school and live their lives in a safe environment.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">RGT donations go towards the children’s school fees and uniforms, utility and rates bills and monthly grocery expenses, all fundamental daily issues for these ever-growing havens.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Nkosi's Haven Vukani is a programme linked to the Soweto Gospel Choir which provides outreach support to registered organisations caring for vulnerable and/or orphaned children with AIDS. The main source of its funding in the </span>UK<span style="font-family: Arial;"> is via the RGT and the Choir’s massively successful collection boxes at their annual summer performances in the </span>UK<span style="font-family: Arial;"> and </span>Europe<span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br> <strong>More: Community Action </strong><br></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Community Action trains local teams to care holistically for people with HIV/AIDS, in hospital and at home.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">They encourage family awareness and activity within their own communities in order to counteract the sense of stigma, shame and disgrace which contributes to the continuing spread of the AIDS pandemic.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The RGT Hardship Fund supports the care team in Alexandra, Johannesburg, providing monthly stipends and grants to meet their clients’ needs - rent payments, funeral expenses, travel costs, food parcels, and any acute emergency need. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br> <strong>More: </strong>St Paul<strong>’s Children’s Rescue Centre</strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The RGT Hardship Fund has been supporting the </span>St Paul<span style="font-family: Arial;">’s orphanage and its 50 children for over 8 years.The Trust’s art and craft training workshop programme has also thrived, giving the children enjoyment while learning. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Their works are sold at the Trust’s fundraising events - the next one being on March 9th at the Candid Arts Gallery, Angel, Islington, </span>London<span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">If you wish to help us to continue our support of these organisations, please give to the Robert Grace Trust by donating online via this page. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">You can also contact us by e-mail as follows: <a title="blocked::mailto:robertgracetrust@arparchitects.co.uk" href="mailto:robertgracetrust@arparchitects.co.uk">robertgracetrust@arparchitects.co.uk</a></span></p>
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