A PENARTH-BASED charity will close after 13 years next week.

The Penarth and District Lesotho Trust, who since 2008 have organised several group visits for people from the Penarth area to Lesotho, South Africa, following several visits by members of local churches, and links were made specifically with the town of Teyateyaneng.

Over the years, the initial focus of contact between churches broadened out so that the relationship developed to involve schools, children’s homes, and the wider community.

Every two years, a group of young people, mainly from Stanwell School, visited Teyateyaneng and spent time teaching in Rantuba High School and St Matthias Primary School, taking with them stationery and a variety of hats, gloves, and scarves, all of which had been donated by friends and family.

Last year, two of the trustees arranged for twenty boxes of used Lego and Duplo, which had also been donated, to be shipped to Lesotho and then went out to distribute it around the schools and give training on its use to the teachers.

A very special relationship developed with two organisations in particular – the TY Junior Academy, a residential school founded by Godfrey Kakande and run now by his daughter Irene Nagingo, and St Cecilia’s Orphanage and Centre for Teenage Mothers run by Father Augustine Mahlaku.

Penarth Times: Father Augustine Mahlaku at St Cecilia’s Church – during the welcome for the Youth Group in 2018Father Augustine Mahlaku at St Cecilia’s Church – during the welcome for the Youth Group in 2018

Much of the fundraising has been for these two places, although the charity has also financed drought relief and the training of a nurse, supported a clinic in the capital of Maseru, and helped Growing Nations which aims to teach sustainable agriculture to young people.

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At the school, the Trust has been able to fund the building of a kitchen, a library and refurbishment of classrooms and at St Cecilia’s money has been sent to build a meeting room and purchase agricultural equipment and supplies.

This will be the last meeting as the decision to dissolve the charity was taken last year due to the trustees being unable to continue due to health and/or family reasons, leaving only six trustees which is an insufficient number and would reduce even further within a year.

Attempts to recruit more trustees have been unsuccessful and so, with regret, it was decided to close the charity, winding it down over the course of this year.

PADLT would like to thank the people of Penarth and district for supporting the charity by giving donations and attending its annual plant sale and craft fair and other events over the years.

The next annual general meeting of the Trust will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 10.30am via Zoom link.

If anyone would like further information or would like to attend the AGM, please send an email to padlt.info@gmail.com.