I’d like to start today by informing you of the retirement of Richard Green-Wilkinson as our accountant and chair of the trustees in the UK.

Richard has been on almost the entire St George journey and has played an absolutely critical role. His attention to the financial and legal side of affairs enabled Justina and me the freedom to focus on the actual mission of St George Foundation. From 68 homeless children in a house we rented and created a new family for them - to becoming the best choice for any child with no place to go and in desperate need in the Freetown area, Richard has been involved and he has helped over 2000 children be part of that St George family now.

Just a few months in (Autumn 2004), and before the charity even existed, I realised that the work was starting to expand and that keeping the finances steady was vital. I could see I wasn’t going to manage everything on my own. I knew Richard from church and I knew that he was an accountant. After a service one Sunday I asked him if he could help look after the money side of the project. Since then he took on a huge load of the process and competently dealt with HMRC, the Charity Commission, the accounts and most of the banking.

A source of wise counsel, we have worked pretty smoothly together and his grip on the finances has seen us through some real challenges over the years and he is directly responsible for making us live within our means and not overstretch. And with good humour too - I distinctly remember one time when we were in Sierra Leone together on a trip and there had been a spate of particularly nasty house invasions by a gang of thugs in the very near area (we really didn’t feel particularly safe)……..as I walked past Richards bedroom door one morning I noticed a sign with an arrow pointing towards my room and the words saying ‘’the other guy has got all the money’’!

And, slightly annoyingly, Richard still looks much as he did when we started (I can’t say the same).

I really can’t acknowledge Richard enough for his role for children who have actually lived with us and for the many many more children that we have worked with over the years outside of the actual children’s home……………AND for the many more children we expect to help in the future.

An absolutely huge THANK YOU Richard!

Philip