Lert Sa Wat Chid Development Project Registered charity number 1085099
Trustees Annual Report Year ending April 2024
In March 2023 we said a fond farewell to Prapaipit who had been in a leadership role in the Lert Sa Wat Nursery since it began in 2003. Prapaipit is in the photograph with TonKhao from the Home, who is showing friends at church her Graduation gown.
One of the other teachers, Gung took over as the main Nursery teacher. She works closely with Nong who devises the schemes of work. Together they prepared resources for the new Nursery year which began in May. Gung and Nong also share making nutritious meals for the children, with Joop stepping in when needed. A Grant from Generation Trust has meant that the Nursery children now have environmentally friendly, smart wooden resources to replace old plastic ones.
The children have so much fun following the Montessori system of learning through play as well as having formal teaching.
Sponsorship has enabled over 90 older children to continue with their education through school, College and University. By the end of the academic year, all but 5 of the children in the Project had sponsors. We are very grateful for all our sponsors, those who have helped children over many years, and those who have joined us more recently.
A highlight of 2023 was the visit by the eleven strong painting team, coming from Heaton Baptist Church in Newcastle, Hope Church in Wallsend and St Stephens Church in South Shields. The 7 adults and 4 teenagers had a lot of fun transforming
old shabby outdoor equipment into a vibrant, inviting place to play.
A day was set aside for craft, baking, music and games with the Nursery children. Each day the team were collected by Joop in the Lert Sa Wat School bus, which became the place for creative and hilarious language learning and songs. The Nursery children were delighted with their brightly coloured play equipment. The team also carried 3 swings from the UK and attached them to trees in the garden. In April 2024 Maureen and Daniel Wallhead made an informal visit to Lert Sa Wat and were delighted to see all the paintwork looked as good as new. The swings had faded in the sun, so maybe a future trip will need to take replacement ones.
The teenagers were very good at entertaining Boss and Blue, the two
boys from the Home. Language wasn’t a barrier when playing Uno, building with Lego or having afternoon swims and games in the pool at our Hotel, the Mountain Creek Golf Resort. The team also met many of the sponsored children when they went to collect their sponsorship money, including young people sponsored by team members.
Maureen and Dave, (Rev Dave Tubby, Minister at Heaton Baptist Church) went to visit Deeo in hospital and were disturbed to see her hands tied to the bed. Deeo had several stays in hospital due to infections. A low point was in September, when her forearm mysteriously was broken in hospital, and a bed sore became badly infected. In October she was allowed home, and thanks to the loving care of Joop, and especially Nong, made great progress. Her arm has healed and bedsore now is tiny. A good development in 2024 is that Joop and Nong have found a nurse they can trust to care for their Mum, so at times Nong can have respite.
In October, Nong, Boss and Blue were involved in a serious car accident. The overturned car was badly damaged and took 5 months to repair. Amazingly, Nong, Boss and Blue walked away unhurt. It was nothing short of a miracle.
Before long, they were involved in preparations for the Christmas parties. As well as celebrations with the older children, the parents of the Nursery children were invited for a special meal, where they heard the Christmas message and were entertained with singing and dancing by their children.
The Nursery children like having the windows open to let in fresh air. The problem is that when they are open, mosquitos and other nasty biting things come in as well, and even snakes at the end of the rainy season. Money from the Christmas Catalogue and a gift from a Norwegian supporter enabled good quality mosquito screens to be fitted to all the doors and windows. Now the only thing to pass through is a welcome breeze.
Without doubt, this year the greatest cause for celebration was the marriage of Tee and Noon. Tee became part of the Children’s Home in 2003 after being abandoned by his parents. He grew up as the eldest boy in the Home and the first person from the Home to gain a degree. Noon has been
Tee’s girlfriend for several years. They decided they wanted to marry in a simple, inexpensive way that did not leave them with a large debt. They have moved to live in Deeo’s house, 10 minutes from Lert Sa Wat.
Tee is very helpful, collecting Boss and Blue from school on his motorbike, when Joop is tied up with other business, and sometimes taking the boys out for something to eat. He is a good role model for Boss and Blue. Tee says that he owes everything to Deeo and Lert Sa Wat. He wants to do his best to give something back.
We wish them every happiness.
Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters. Your kindness is giving children and young people the chance of a better future.
To find out more about Lert Sa Wat and child sponsorship for £20 per month, visit our website lertsawat.com or email lertsawat2000@gmail.com.
Maureen Wallhead
pp The Lert Sa Wat Trustees
June 2024
accounts CC16• T¢t Section A Receipts and paymenis A1 11 CCYXR1 acw*tslSYI
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A F . Independent Examiner's Report Report to the tn On accounts for the year ended Charty no (If any) 3) )1 064 Set out on pages I reFKKt to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charty ('U T} f the year er - Re8pon8lbllftle8 and Jasis of report As the charity's trustees, you are respSIble for the preparalion of the aCCnts in aCCordare with th8 requyements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Acr). I repcrt in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carrl8d out under secth)n 145 of the 2011 Act arxl in carying out my examination, I have folknNed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Sectm 145(SXb) of the ACL Independont rrhe charity's gross inccffie exceeded £250,(KKI and l am qualrfied to examlnefs ststement undertake the examinatK)n by b8ir¥J a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed bcxjyll. Delete [ ] rf not applKth, I have C¢ynpleted my examinatffi. I ccrfimi that rm) material matters have come to my attenth)n in connect1 with the examination (other than that dilOSed below ") which gives me cause to believe that In, materlal respect: the accounting reccrds were t kept in acc(ydance with section 130 of the Charities Act; ¢x the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or acc(nts dKI t corn with the applicable requirements conceming the fonn and content of accounts sel out in the Charities {Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an indewdent examination. I have no concerrts arKI have c(xne across other matters in conn8ction wth the examina1M to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a understaThlirvJ of the aCc{nts to be reached. . Please delete the words in l)rackets rfthey do not appty. Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (rf any): JIL IER Oct 2018