The UK Charity group Sierra Leonean Adventists Abroad has been given a major financial boost – thanks to the work of  one of its volunteers, based at BT’s intellectual property rights department.  Dr Edward Cole’s dedication was recognised, Sir Mike Rake, BT’s Chairman, at the Chairman’s awards.  These awards are the highest accolade of one of the company’s longest running and highly regarded employee Charity Schemes, BT Community Champions.

Every year the Chairman’s awards receive hundreds of applications worldwide from outstanding community champions, who commit time, energy, their life skills and talent for the benefit of society and their local area.  The applicants are then short listed by a global judging panel from across the company, with the winners being hand picked by the chairman himself.

This year Dr Edward Cole was presented with the Education, Development and Awareness award for his unwavering voluntary work with the Sierra Leonean Adventists Abroad. This charity builds bridges between the UK and Sierra Leone which is at the bottom of the UN human development index, mainly due to civil war.  The SLAA focuses on linking professionals with projects designed to reduce chronic poverty and improve health and education in poorer communities. Over the last five years the rehabilitation and the reopening of the war-ruined hospital in Masanga Sierra Leone has been one of the charity’s successes. Masanga hospital now provides free medical care for 25,000 patients every year. As well as healthcare the SLAA pays for the education of 60 students, with the aim building up health care and education professionals in the country.

As well as fundraising, Dr Edward Cole has been involved since 2000 in the strategic direction of the charity.  And the legal skills he’s learned from his day job at BT, has allowed him to deal with international organisations and governments, which has in turn allowed the charity to flourish.   

Dr Edward Cole said,” I’m thrilled at winning this award.  The volunteering has helped me develop and grow personally and professionally and the acknowledgement I’ve received today makes me feel really valued.  The £3000 award will allow us to provide maternity services to a much deprived area of the world where maternal mortality rates are one of the world’s worst.  It will make a real difference.  It’s great to be recognised in this way and I’d like to recognise the hard work of all the other volunteers in the group as well.

Sir Mike Rake added: “This is the second year I’ve presided over these awards and I’m very impressed by the dedication and selflessness showed by all the volunteers.  I’m proud of them all and I’m pleased that BT is able to give back to the community by supporting and encouraging our employees in this way.   I’d like to extend my personal thanks to, and admiration for, everyone involved in local community work across the UK and throughout the world. Congratulations again to Edward for his outstanding contribution.”

-ENDS-

Note to Editors:

About BT

BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries.  Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services.  BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group’s revenue was £21,390 million.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.  BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. 

For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt

About SLAA

The Sierra Leonean Adventists Abroad (SLAA) is a UK registered charity (1085936) working to reduce poverty through improved health and better education in the world’s poorest communities. It was founded by a group of London based Adventist university students from Sierra Leone in 1992 to provided humanitarian assistance to people affected by war. It developed its charity activities and today co-manages Masanga Hospital in Sierra Leone and runs education grant program for university and school students in acute poverty.

Masanga Hospital (located in a rural health district of 360,000 people, north of Freetown) was severely damaged during 10 years civil war in Sierra Leone. The hospital is undergoing phased rehabilitation in a tripartite agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone, SLAA and Danish group Association of Friends of Masanga.  The first phase rehabilitated Masanga hospital opened its out patient department in 2006 at what was originally the Seventh Day Adventist Masanga Leprosy Hospital. Since re-opening the hospital has achieved significant milestones, including retaining 85 members of staff, treating approximately 25,000 patients per year and providing health care to a wider community. Paediatric and maternity health are priority focus areas. The hospital creates business enterprises to stimulate local socio-economic development and employment.

In addition to improving health in a low income community, SLAA assists students from poor environment through university and school education. These students would otherwise be unable to afford to pay for the education they need to help themselves out of poverty. 

SLAA depends on volunteers to carry out charity work and is funded exclusively by donations. With limited resources SLAA is changing lives for good. Imagine what can be achieved with better resources. You can help make a difference by donating. Please visit  www.slaa.org.uk if you would like to donate or for more information.

For further information Edward Cole, SLAA Chairman. eddiejcole@slaa.org.uk. 07884 476 783. www.slaa.org.uk