A charitable company, limited by guarantee.
Reg no:2955124 Charity number: 1040189
Registered office:
12 Ogle StreetIf you wish to support Mariners in their work, cheques made out to 'Mariners' may be sent to the Chief Executive and founder:
This is Mariners' first annual review covering a year in which we believe we have managed to make a real difference in the areas in which we have worked and have successfully established ourselves as a valued addition to the field of overseas aid agencies.
There are many aid agencies. Are they all necessary? Is Mariners necessary? Were we right to start a new organisation with all its demands on the public for funds and support? As a charitable organisation, we need to ask these questions. We need to constantly look at what we are doing and ask if our efforts are directed in the best way. The issue of the value of much aid work is often far from cut and dried when viewed in the field. Too much aid still remains paternalistic and is imposed on poor communities. We in Mariners must constantly monitor our performance and effectiveness.
This annual review should be accompanied by the winter Newsletter, in which we have looked at the work that we have already undertaken and given a graphic illustration of why we believe that a failure to address marine aid issues can and is having a dramatic effect on many communities. Just as the account of the "Neptune disaster illustrates the adverse effects of failure to address these issues, so we believe that the work we have been doing on improving access in the Zambezi area is helping to make possible the corresponding changes for the better.
There are many new projects on the stocks for 1996, some of which are very exciting.
The Chinde barge project will be in full swing by the Spring. We are going to train steelworkers and ship builders while constructing three barges that can reopen trade in the lower Zambezi. At least one of the barges will be used to link Chinde by road to the outside world again. The barges will be run by a co-operative that will represent local interests.
We hope as well to start on our new project area in Sierra Leone. This will involve us in operating our own ship. The operation will be multi-faceted, incorporating the usual range of emergency aid -
At the same time, the crew will be actively involved in training local personnel and working with local interests so as to encourage the setting up of adequate and professional coastal shipping. Only thus can the way be opened to numerous other development possibilities. Without access for normal and basic necessities, the development of the country will remain seriously hampered.
Alongside the above project, we are working on an exciting new scheme to assist a Sierra Leonean agency to start a lifeboat service using vessels that will pay for themselves through fisheries' surveillance. This is just the sort of development that is needed and we are giving maximum assistance to the proposers.
We are also negotiating for funds to start a training school in Beira for seamen from the small coasting and fishing vessels that have been so neglected. This would be a notable new area of activity, and one that can greatly reduce the dangers being experienced by crews and passengers within the country.
The beginning of the year also sees our Chairman in Bangladesh where he is looking at what assistance we might render to another charity that is about to start building a hospital barge.
As the year progresses, there will be more new ideas. We will tackle them with vigour.
Funds from two main projects provided the main source of Mariners' income during the past year. Firstly there was the money from USAID with which we helped establish the new vehicle ferry across the Zambezi. Secondly, we have received the first tranche of funding from the EC to cover the Chinde barge project.
Head office spending has been frugal, and well within acceptable norms. This is in line with our policy, but also reflects the difficulty of obtaining funds to cover core costs. The annual accounts are under preparation and the full financial report will be added to this review to form the Annual Report in due course.
During the year the Board of Trustees has been strengthened and the first Board Meeting of the new year will continue that trend. We now have a team of the highest calibre, representing an appropriate range of skills - financial, legal, shipping and aid and development We have also formed a technical committee, with experts from various fields of marine activity, giving us direct access to advice of the highest calibre. Details appear on the front cover. Our treasurer, Andrew Hind, has written and produced a definitive book on charity finance and governance during the year that has been widely acclaimed (The Governance & Management of Charities Voluntary Sector Press) and we are privileged to have that expertise at our disposal.
We are also in the process of forming a fund raising committee, comprising some volunteers from among the country's leading experts.
John Scott, former marine superintendent of one of the world's leading ship owners, has continued to be actively involved as Cairman and is currently prospecting a new project in Bangladesh.
Headquarters remain in the front room of the Chief Executive's house. This will need to change, when funds permit, to allow expansion.
In the field we have already taken advantage of our links with the Army's Port & Maritime Regiment, and one of their corporals made an exceedingly worthwhile contribution to the Caia Ferry project. It is hoped to continue this link and to use Army engineers to assist with the Chinde barge construction, while getting very useful field training for themselves.
