Moortown Emergency Relief Fund      MERF      Charity no 1194470 

Annual Report    2022-23 

## Fundamental Aims 

Many people in the world are very very poor, living hand to mouth daily, one days meagre wage paying for food next, but they survive/get by until an emergency - medical treatment, housing damage etc or just being out of work for a month. Money can be borrowed in some cases but at very high interest rates - the loan taking several years to repay. 

Because of modern communication, email, bank facilities, aid can be provided very quickly, we have made responses/payments within 48 hours. The recipients are very thankful for the assistance. Aid is only provided through a trusted agent “on site” 

## History 

A charity DEPOSIT account was opened with Virgin Money 22 June 2021. Eventually a CURRENT account, Cooperative Bank, Community Direct Plus, was opened on 27 August 2022 and MERF became active. 

## Income 

MERF has not yet been involved in any active fund raising, income has been provided by 2 trustees. 

There are no expenses for running MERF apart from charges for bank transfers. 

## Activity 

Currently our outgoings are to one need/location - the village of Jhum Para, Chittagong, Bangladesh. We have had links with this area due to medical missionaries from Moortown Baptist Church, Leeds, 1960-70 and on going support. Ms Commons, trustee, worked as a physiotherapist for 10 years at the nearby missions hospital, Chandragona, now a Bangladeshi run hospital. During that time Ms Commons a native Bangladeshi, Mr Anup Biswas became a trusted colleague and now is our trusted agent for the people of Jhum Para. 

## Activities 

House repair or rebuild Bon Bihari Chakma  -  repair Laskmi Kumar Chakma  -  repair Belester Tripura  -  rebuild Amalendu Chakma  -  repair ( Chakma is their tribal name) Medical Shampa Rani Chakma  -  finger operation 



Sanjoy  -  abdominal/hospitalisation Amalendu  -  back treatment Batik  -  broken wrist Bijoy Kumar  -  cretic stone John Tripura  -  appendix Shanti Chakma  -  malnourished/urine infection Tarangola Babu  — ulcer Shathoi Bebi  -  kidney Covid Working not permitted - no income, no food - funds to buy rice, potatoes, some meat. Miscellaneous School and exam fees, annual feast day, funeral cost etc. 

The trustees also provide funds separately/personally for items which we don’t think come within the scope of MERF’s charitable status ( a birthday celebration, a bike for work, tuc-tuc repair etc) 

ACCOUNTS 

Virgin Money DEPOSIT account Balance  6.4.22                                                                                5003.99 IN             OUT Income Standing order gifts                                   240.00 Bank interest                                                11.03 Gifts                                                         1600.00 Expenditure Bank transfers Bangladesh                                                                 3000.00 Bank charges                                                                    7.60 1851.03       3007.60 Balance    5.4.23                                                                               3847.42 Virgin Money    1015.02 Cooperative     2832.40 

3847.42 

Funds are transferred in tranches to cover major approved expenditure plus a contingency amount to be used for smaller subsequent approved expenditure. 

Ian Rodney Russell, Trustee,  20.01.2023