Charities, Sponsors and Supporters

HARPENDEN TRUST

The aim of the Harpenden Trust is to help Harpenden people in need, individually and collectively.

Founded in 1948, the Trust was described by the Daily Sketch “a social experiment without parallel in this country”. Despite being seen as wealthy community, there are still residents suffering severe hardship not helped by the Covid crisis. The Trust aims to be that good neighbour with the active support of the town’s residents.

In more recent times, the Trust has provided invaluable support to the national vaccination programme and has received a Purple Star Strategy Certificate from Hertfordshire NHS for outstanding dedication and commitment.

HOPE AND HOMES FOR CHILDREN

Hope and Homes for Children has at its heart the drive to close orphanages by moving children into loving stable families and to work with governments to tackle the root causes of family breakdown. They are working towards a day when orphanages have been eliminated for good.

Mark and Caroline Cook started their journey in a Sarajevo orphanage where the buildings had been devastated by the shelling. The children were starving and almost feral. From that experience the Cooks decided to set up their own charity to establish small well run orphanages. Only one problem, the children wanted families not an institution.

Hope and Homes for Children was born with the purpose of bringing back “LOVE” to the lost children and their horizon has extended beyond Europe to Africa, India and South America.

HARPENDEN SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICA (HSoA)

HSoA is creating links between communities in the UK and Africa through charitable projects relating to education, health, clean water and economic development. HSoA Uganda is led by experienced local development workers with deep roots in their communities and excellent working relationships at local and national government levels together with local and international NGO’s.

Mbale in Uganda is known as a peaceful area which is why people displaced by conflict have been attracted there. For those displaced communities, life is fragile with none of the basics like education, healthcare, clean water and the chance to earn a living. With a population similar to Harpenden, thay have no GPs and only one school. HSoA is helping to fund the building of a primary and nursery school, provide clean water to over 10,0900 people and work with the Ugandan government to train Community Health Promoters.

Rotary in Harpenden uses money raised from Classics on the Common to support other good causes throughout the year.