RWANDA GROUP TRUST
(Patron Bishop Paul Swarbrick)
August 2026
Dear All,
Wow!! Yet another quarter year flown by. I am convinced that the older we get, the faster time goes by!!
Firstly, we remember 2 of our supporters who have recently died. Michael Cronin faithfully supported RGT for several years. Josette Black, for many years, gave us plants to sell as well as numerous jars of home-made marmalade. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.
Our usual quarterly Trustee Meeting was held as always, in St. Anthony’s Padua Room on Saturday, 11th July.
Trustees present: Michael Donlan, Mark Ibison, Myra Gregory, Veronica Sanders, Judith Potts, Clare Spicer and me, Bernadette Roberts.
We were also honoured with the presence of our Bishop Paul Swarbrick.
Matters arising from our last meeting included the proposed Memorial Mass for Deceased Benefactors. It was agreed that April would be a good month as it would have lighter evenings and would coincide with Rwanda’s annual genocide memorial season.
April’s funds allowed us to send £2,500 in May to each of our 4 groups in Rwanda.
Fr. Placide in Cyangugu supported 112 families with food and clothing; 104 people with medical insurance; 4 families with housing.
He writes:
‘We’re facing very harsh sun, high levels of hunger, high prices, lack of money, and jobs that don’t match the pay. Because the borders with neighboring countries are closed people are struggling even more.
Thankyou so much for your continued commitment and support.
We see how much impact this support is having for 104 people with mutuel, 112 families with food, and 3 families with housing–especially in this difficult time.’
Petronille in Gikongoro continued to support 26 students; 80 people with Food and Clothing; 6 people with Health Care.
She also tells us about a ‘Contribution to support the renovation of one of the dormitories of the Fraternity house.’
‘In our country, many vulnerable individuals experience not only extreme poverty and illness but also psychological and emotional suffering resulting from trauma, family conflicts, bereavement, addiction, and other life challenges. Many of these individuals live without hope, peace or emotional well-being and require psychosocial and spiritual support in addition to material assistance. The Fraternity, one of Catholic Christian community based at Byimana Parish, provides psychological counselling, spiritual accompaniment, prayer and free temporary accommodation and meals for the most vulnerable individuals during their healing process.
However, the Fraternity House former CERAI (CERAI were post-primary training centers (after primary school), mainly designed for young people who did not continue into general secondary education), which serves as the main reception , counselling, and accommodation center, has deteriorated and is no longer safe or adequate to meet the growing needs of beneficiaries. The damaged facility limits the provision of quality counselling, spiritual support and temporary shelter, reducing access to essential services for vulnerable people. Rehabilitation of the Fraternity House is therefore urgently needed to restore a safe, dignified, and functional environment for holistic healing and care.
The operating costs of the Fraternity are mainly covered by members of the congregation and their friends. Occasionally, RGT/Gikongoro provides support in the form of food assistance. In this instance, it also contributed to the renovation of one of the dormitories, including the construction/rehabilitation of showers and the replacement of worn-out doors and windows.’
Petronille also writes:
‘We are doing well on our side, despite the ongoing increase in warm weather conditions and routine economic challenges.’
MEMBERS OF THE FRATERNITY
Beatrice in Kigali supported 50 students with Education Fees.
‘Receive my greetings!
I’m sorry for the delay in reporting.
I have been absent since the end of May still now. I was caring my father who is hospitalized still now. I didn’t inform my colleagues of Kigali RGT. That’s why the report was not sent. Now, I can send it.’
Fr. Fabien in Nyundo used his money to help 30 students with Education; 153 people with Food and Clothing; 150 people with Health Care; 14 people with Housing.
He writes:
‘Please accept our cordial greetings. We hope you are holding up well despite the heatwaves currently sweeping across Europe. It’s hot where we are too, but it’s bearable; temperatures hover around 25 degrees Celsius, during the day.
- No sooner had we received the May installment than we hastened to hold a meeting to distribute it, because in some schools, children who had not paid their tuition fees in full risked being barred from the end-of-year exams.
- Furthermore, contributions for the health insurance scheme in Rwanda began in July.
- Taking advantage of the harvest season, we purchased food for the poor who have no fields or other means of subsistence.
- Most homes belonging to the poor are roofed with low-quality sheet metal that deteriorates very quickly. This remains a problem; It is very difficult to meet every request. Once again, we have Herthe conflict-related tensions and the Ebola epidemic in neighboring Congo.
—May the Lord shower you with the abundance of His blessings.’
AUGUST’S FUNDING
£1,450 was allotted to each of our 4 groups.
FUNDRAISING
July’s Table Top Sale took £493 plus £210 from jewellery from our last sale…a grand total of £703!! To date, Vinted sales of clothes sold later amounts to another £60. More will be added to the next sale from the online sale of books.
Thankyou, again to all who support these events.
Our next sales are 19th September and 5th December.
We have 2 upcoming sponsored events:
‘Family Superheroes’
Two of Joe and Rosemary Bamber’s children (David and Clare), and granddaughter, Amy are hoping to complete, (or may well have completed by the time this newsletter arrives to you!!!), the Edgehill Sprint Triathlon on Sunday 23rd August.
This involves swimming 400m, cycling 21km and running 5km!! With the recent heatwaves training has proved to be extremely difficult.
Clare is hoping to raise £500 and would appreciate any support at all.
Her Just Giving Page is:
As promised, Superman Mark is yet again doing a sponsored fundraiser!!
In early September, he will return to Santiago de Compostela as a pilgrim, this time on foot.
He will follow in the wake of early medieval English pilgrims by sailing from the South Coast to Northern Spain, then overland to the start of the ‘Camino Ingles’ at Ferrol, there meeting up with son Joseph, himself a keen walker.
They should reach Santiago after 6 days and some 70 miles.
Mark then plans to return home by train, via Paris and London.
All our Trustees will gratefully accept any donations for either event or please go to Mark’s ‘Just Giving’ page:
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE POOREST OF THE POOR IN RWANDA AND FOR US IN OUR EFFORTS TO HELP PROVIDE AN EASIER LIFE FOR THEM ALL.
If you are able to donate, this can be done in the following ways:
- To a Trustee
- Bank Transfer via BACS to our Santander Bank a/c:
Rwanda Group Trust
Sort Code: 09-01-29
A/C No. 08478395
- By cheque payable to: ‘Rwanda Group Trust’
Send to
Rwanda Group Trust
17, Mayfield Road
Preston
PR2 1EX
GIFT AID
If you are a tax payer, we can reclaim the tax paid on your donation at no extra cost to you. Please ask for a Gift Aid form if you are able and willing to Gift Aid your donation.
For further details and updates go to our website:
Or ring Michael Donlan 07864 990941/Bernadette Roberts 07734972897
