Home

What's New

About the TSSF

Saint Francis

Members

Links

Contact

Franciscan Aid is the charitable trust of the Third Order of the Society of Saint Francis, Charity Number 285413. If you would like to make a donation to support the work of the charity, you will find details of how to do so below.

Objects

In 1982 a Charitable Trust was set up by Br. Geoffrey SSF (Minister General ), Mary Johnson and  Bob Diaper (Guardian  and Treasurer  respectively)    of  the European  Province  of TSSF named, 'Franciscan Aid.'

It stated in the Trust Deed  that  the  objects  of  the  charity  " shall  be  to  relieve  poverty  and  advance  education  of  deprived people  from Third  World  Countries  whose  needs may  not  be  covered  by  other  agencies  and  those  with  whom  the  Franciscans  are   in contact and  whose  needs  are  known  so  that  they  can  be  aided quickly  and  precisely ".

Franciscan  Aid ,now  clearly  defined  as ' The  Charitable  Trust  of  the  Third  Order ' has  been  closely  linked   with  First  Order  brothers  and  Tertiaries  working  outside  the  UK  in  some  of  the  poorest  parts  of  the  world,  particularly  Africa, Palestine  SE Asia,  Melanesia  and  South  America.

All  office  holders  give  their  time  free  to  keep  costs  to  a  minimum. Applications  to  the  fund  are  made  through  the  secretary  and  decisions  are  made  by  the  Trustees  of  the  fund  who  meet  at  least  three  times  a  year.

Great  care  is  taken  that  gifts  are  monitored  and  used  as  requested   and   all  accounts  are  viewed  by  Independent   Reporting  Accountants  every  year  in  line  with  the  law.

Further information may be obtained from the Secretary Sue Green

email: standsgreen@aol.com 4 Elm Close , Witney OXON OX28  5BT

                                                                                                    
How you may contribute:

By CHEQUE direct to Treasurer. Whatever the amount (provided you are a standard rate taxpayer) we can recover the tax through the Gift Aid scheme. You will receive a simple form to complete. NB: If your cheque is paid through CAF or another charitable foundation the tax has already been received, so the above does not apply.

By BANKER’S ORDER, monthly, quarterly, six monthly or annually. Forms may be downloaded here or obtained from the Secretary.

Most Important - however you give, please DO NOT send cash through the post. Postal orders do still exist if you cannot pay by cheque.

Treasurer:  Leslie T Johnson

email:  leslie@ebconsult.fsbusiness.co.uk 15 Breton House, Barbican, London EC2Y  8DQ

Projects:

The Third Order wanted to support the work of the Brothers worldwide and so, almost 25 years ago, the charity Franciscan Aid began. Your giving enables the Brothers of S.S.F. and others linked to the Third Order to help where the need is unlikely to be met by other aid organisations or international help. We only work with projects that have a clear Franciscan oversight, so that we can monitor the funds are used appropriately.

Over the past year we have been able to assist :

• In Africa  with education fees for orphans. New computers for a new diocese, a water conservation project and assisting to keep going a care facility/hospital for frail elderly who have no personal means of support.
• In the Middle East we have helped with school fees and clothing for the destitute, and provided hearing aids and glasses.
• In Melanesia and Papua New Guinea area we have given grants to a Kindergarten and a Theological College, assisted in building a priests house and provided a longed for keyboard to a youth group. In their own words “ a dream come true.”
• In the Philippines we funded, making possible, a youth camp.

The Treasurer reports that the giving to Franciscan Aid during 2006 has decreased on the previous year and yet the requests are on the increase.  Do please pray for the Trustees and committee members who have the hard job deciding where our priorities should lie.