Month: November 2021

Could you sponsor Mahesh?

Batemans’ children are getting back to school! After studying online for the past 20 months – supported by our team in Chennai – early years’ children and students studying up to 11th standard (the equivalent of GCSEs in the UK) are travelling to their schools again for face-to-face teaching.

Thanks to your support, we currently have 24 girls and 16 boys in our care. One boy who joined us in June is 12-year-old Mahesh, pictured above centre. After his single mother sought help from the Chennai Child Welfare Board for the care and education of her children, Mahesh was referred on to our Batemans-Satkaarya team, who report that he has settled in well.

If you would be interested in sponsoring Mahesh or any of our children, it costs £15 a month. Follow this link to find out more.

Fundraisers show their support

It’s been a great year for supporters making generous donations and finding innovative ways to raise money – from children putting on plays and running outdoor cake stalls to a midwife cycling the length of Great Britain!

Year 10 students at St Mary’s School, Ascot, have raised thousands of pounds this term, trustee Marion Mills set herself a walking target while Vinod Hallam and his wife Angela took to their gym bikes to pound out the miles for Batemans. And you can still sponsor supporter Sarah Barry who has definitely caught the marathon running bug.

Last weekend saw a successful fundraising quiz night in Cambridge, while in Chelmsford a group of supporters are preparing special Batemans Advent Treat boxes for delivery before the start of December.

If you are planning an activity and would like some advice on how best to maximise the opportunity – or have photos of an activity you’ve been involved in – please contact suzanne.kuyser@batemans.org.uk

Annual printed newsletter coming soon!

The annual Batemans printed newsletter will be delivered in the next few weeks, including more fundraising reports and lots of news from Chennai.

Also included will be our annual wish list, which is a great way to support the project. And if you sponsor a child, there’s an opportunity to buy a special new Christmas outfit for them.  If you don’t want to wait for the printed version, you can complete the online wish list now by following this link.

If you think we might not have your home address, please let us know by emailing anne.desir@batemans.org.uk

Architects finalise new building plans

Our project to build a new school in Chennai is gathering momentum again, with city planners back in operation after closing during lockdown.

Clarifications have finally been given on the complex building regulations and we are close to submitting our final building designs, in partnership with a local architect. It’s great to know we have sufficient funds in place to start the first phase of the building project once planning permission is granted.

Work on developing our business plan and curriculum is well underway and we are now looking for a project development officer to work in Chennai and spearhead the initial phase.

See our webinar, ‘Turning a dream into a reality’, to find out more.