Indian project gets go-ahead for Rev Pat

Norwich-based Christian development charity the Vidiyal Trust, has announced plans to build two children’s homes, a school and day care facilities for local destitute elderly people, on land in Kerala, in India.

 

Headed by well-known Norwich minister Rev Canon Pat Atkinson, chaplain at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, the £80,000 project is the result of many months of planning and work in the area on the south western coast of the sub-continent.

 

The project is backed by a number of churches in the Norwich Diocese, some generous individual donations and a continued child sponsorship scheme, explained Pat.

 

“We have paid for the purchase of an acre of land which will house a 30-place boys home, a girls home, a small school, and an office with a meeting hall and staff facilities above it.”

 

Building will start as soon as possible and should be finished in around 16 months’ time.

 

A local Indian trust has been set up as well as the English arm based in Norfolk and the project is being supported by local churches in southern India.

 

To protect long term investment and ownership (which is very important in India where foreign charities cannot own land), the land and buildings are also registered under the Indian Trust set up by Pat nine years ago. She and Indian trustees manage this Trust.

 

Additional trustees have been appointed from local churches to ensure transparency of the projects.  The combined English and Indian Trust have passed a resolution that ensures that should the Trusts cease to operate the land and buildings will be given to the Church of South India.

 

“This will give our children a wonderful environment in which to live, grow and work and will enable us to expand our capacity,” said Pat. “We are thrilled with the land and surrounding areas. We will be based about half a mile outside of the nearest town. There is a sense of calm and peace there which is tangible.”

 

Teachers and support staff will be appointed locally and needy children will be found with the help of local churches.

 

If you want more information or would like to support the project, you can contact Pat and the Vidiyal Trust at  vidiyaltrust@hotmail.co.uk  or on 01603 635777.