parentatrust

Changing Children’s Lives: Parenta Trust Opens Its 6th Pre-School In Eastern Africa

websites@parenta.com (Parenta Websites) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 13:43:11 GMT

Over 230 additional children to receive an early years education in Rwanda each year

The Parenta Trust, the Charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies, is proud to announce the opening of its 6th pre-school, the Wisdom Nursery School, in Rwanda. This milestone reflects the Trust's ongoing commitment to providing quality early years education for orphaned and disadvantaged children, across Eastern Africa.

This achievement stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication of Parenta Trust supporters and the late Nigel Hutchings, whose fundraising efforts, over recent years went towards making this vision a reality. Nigel sadly passed away in April 2024, and the school was opened in his honour.

The Wisdom Nursery School is in a rural Rwandan community where poverty forces many children into early labour in stone quarries and sugarcane plantations. Partnering with international development organisation Fields of Life and the Anglican Church of Rwanda, Parenta Trust aims to empower the local community and break this cycle of poverty by providing quality education and support to over 200 children each year.

Dr. Allan Presland, founder of the Parenta Trust and Chairman of the Parenta Group of Companies, commented:

“ It’s been a difficult few years of fundraising, however, our commitment and that of our supporters to provide education to children in disadvantaged communities has only grown stronger. With this new school, we will be positively impacting the lives of even more children, giving them the tools they need to succeed and thrive. ”

Remembering fund-raiser Nigel Hutchings, he said;

" Nigel was an inspiration to us all. His generosity, determination, and love for not just this cause, but education as a whole, for disadvantaged children, touched countless lives. The opening of the Wisdom Nursery School is a fitting tribute to his legacy, ensuring his impact endures through the lives of children who will benefit from this education. "

The school was officially opened in a heartfelt ceremony featuring the local church, local dignitaries and community members. The event marked both a celebration of hope and a moment of reflection on the power of collective action to overcome barriers to education. Parenta Trust has a proven track record of building and developing schools in Eastern Africa, with the existing five schools looking after and educating up to 1,200 children at any one time.

About The Parenta Trust

The Parenta Trust supports early education for orphaned and disadvantaged children under 6 years old in deprived regions by building and equipping pre-schools. Each facility serves 180–250 children, ensuring they receive essential learning resources, and the support needed for a promising start in life.

The Parenta Trust was founded in 2013 with the mission to build pre-schools in Eastern Africa and transform communities by addressing the critical lack of early years education in disadvantaged areas. This new school highlights the Trust’s ethos of creating lasting change through education, with ongoing support provided to its schools by partners such as Fields of Life.

About The Parenta Group Of Companies

Parenta is a leading provider of software solutions, training, and support for the UK’s early years education sector. With over 25 years of experience, it is dedicated to simplifying the day-to-day challenges of childcare providers, enabling them to focus on what matters most – the children in their care. Innovative nursery management software streamlines essential tasks, from attendance tracking and invoicing to reporting and child development monitoring, helping providers save time, reduce costs, and meet regulatory requirements with ease.

As the UK’s largest Early Years apprenticeship training provider - Parenta delivers high-quality apprenticeship training to over 2000 learners annually ensuring nurseries have access to well-trained and qualified staff who play a vital role in shaping the future of early years education.

Parenta Trust Expands its Footprint to Rwanda

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:11:58 GMT

Sixth School Commissioned for 200 Orphaned and Disadvantaged
Nursery-aged Children

Parenta Trust, the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies is thrilled to announce the construction of its sixth school in Eastern Africa, to complement the existing five schools in Uganda. This new initiative will provide quality education, care, and hope to 200 orphaned and disadvantaged children, all under the age of 6, furthering Parenta Trust’s mission to contribute to vulnerable communities across Africa.

"We are delighted to announce the building of our sixth school in Eastern Africa," said Allan Presland, Founder of Parenta Trust and Chairman of Parenta Group. "Our commitment to providing education to children in disadvantaged communities has only grown stronger over the years. With this new school, we will be able to positively impact the lives of even more children, giving them the tools they need to succeed and thrive”.

Parenta Trust has a proven track record of building and developing schools in Africa, with the existing schools looking after and educating up to 1200 children concurrently.

By expanding into Rwanda, Parenta Trust seeks to strengthen its ties with the local community and engage with stakeholders to create lasting, positive change. The new school will be in Bikamba village in Kajevuba cell, Ntarabana sector. This is an area of stone quarries and sugarcane plantations which leads to children starting work at a young age and in turn facilitates the vicious cycle of poverty in the area. Parenta Trust firmly believes in the power of collaboration and aims to work closely with the Rwandan community and its partner on the ground in Africa, Fields of Life, to uplift the lives of these vulnerable children. The new building will be constructed alongside a holistic programme which includes providing sanitation, a sustainable feeding programme, teacher training, a well-thought-through Early Childhood development curriculum and will work together with local government and the Church of Rwanda.

Allan Presland continued; “Parenta Trust continues its commitment and mission to keep building new schools in East Africa to transform communities and the lives of desperate children. We are currently raising money for our seventh and eighth schools and we invite individuals, nurseries, schools, corporations, and organisations to support this transformative project through donations, sponsorships, and partnerships. Together, we can make a significant impact on the lives of disadvantaged children, providing them with the hope and opportunity they need to shape a better future.”

About Parenta Trust School

Parenta Trust is the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies, which includes Parenta Training – the largest provider of apprenticeships to the childcare sector in England, and Parenta Software, a leading provider of childcare management software. The Charity was formed in 2015 and seeks to transform lives for orphaned and disadvantaged children in areas of abject poverty.

https://www.parentatrust.com/sponsor-a-child

www.parentatrust.com

For media enquiries, partnership opportunities, or donation information, please contact:

Gail James: PR & Communications Marketing Manager, on +44 (0) 1622 824372 or Gail.James@parenta.com

Parenta Trust prepares to rev up its engines for its annual adventure to Monaco

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 15:10:36 GMT

Parenta Trust is gearing up for its annual fundraising car rally from Maidstone to Monaco and is calling for teams to take part in a “road trip of a lifetime”.

From 24 to 28 June 2020, teams in both two- and four-wheeled vehicles will travel 2,000 miles through eight countries, traverse the Alps and negotiate the winding roads of the Furka Pass. This annual five-day adventure involves camping under the stars and taking part in challenges - before reaching the final destination of glamorous Monaco.

All funds raised from the rally go towards building pre-schools for children in need of a quality education in deprived areas of the world.

Parenta Trust founder and trustee, Allan Presland said: “The Maidstone to Monaco rally never fails to disappoint. It’s a fantastic way to bring people together for a great cause and have loads of fun along the way. Motorbikes, as well as cars, are welcome and all two and four wheel enthusiasts unite on this five-day journey of fun, laughter and exploration. We already have a few teams signed up who had such a fantastic adventure last year that they can’t wait to do it all over again!

“The support we receive every year is nothing less than astounding; but we are always looking for more people to get involved, so we are appealing for more teams to come and join us and help us with “the drive to build a school”!

From this year, Parenta Trust, working hand-in-hand with Parenta Group, is aligning itself with the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development , in particular Goal No. 4, Quality Education which sits perfectly within Parenta’s values and ethos, allowing greater synergy between the training provider and the Trust. Find out more about Parenta’s alignment with Global Goals.

Click here to find out more and to sign up for Maidstone to Monaco rally!

About Parenta Trust

Parenta Trust supports disadvantaged children across the world by providing quality pre-school education. It was founded by Allan Presland in 2013 after a life-changing trip to Kampala in Uganda. The stark reality of poverty and lack of education for pre-school children hit him hard on the day he found a young girl on a rubbish tip on top of a cemetery in an area known locally as ‘Kosovo’. She was scavenging for food and Allan found it heartbreaking that she clearly had to fend for herself to even find food let alone be given an early years education. He returned to the UK to set up a charity, leveraging his existing network of contacts in the early years sector and his ambitious quest to build one pre-school per year began.

From Maidstone to Monaco – the Parenta Trust rally teams return triumphant!

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 14:04:15 GMT

During their five-day escapade, eleven teams in Parenta Trust Rally travelled through eight countries, traversed the Alps and negotiated the winding roads of the Furka Pass in some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded. They camped under the stars and undertook various challenges along the way, before reaching their final destination of Monaco - all in aid of “the drive to build a school”.

After the teams had returned from their expedition, we spoke to Parenta Trust founder and trustee, Allan Presland, and first time rally participant and Parenta Software Developer, Luke Liddell.

Allan said: “A massive thank you goes out to everyone who supported and sponsored our teams throughout a very hot, but incredible journey. This year’s rally was probably the most successful! We had a record number of teams enter - 11 in total – with a diverse range of cars, not to mention an interesting array of team names…..’Piston Broke’, ‘Veloce-Raptor’ and our first all-female team, Monty2Monty with “Kerry and Perry”! Although funds are still due in, it looks as if we have raised about £20,000 which means we are well on our way to building our next pre-school – for that we are incredibly grateful. Every day I feel privileged to have the opportunity to play a part in the crucial task of giving children in deprived areas of the world the chance to have an early years education.”

“A particular highlight for me was the challenges. From making a promotional video and bringing a snowman to dinner, to taking a photograph of themselves on ice (naked!) - all the challenges were really well received. Everyone joined in and there was a great sense of camaraderie throughout the whole rally.”

“We were in France on the hottest day ever recorded and three of our teams were in convertibles… with no air conditioning! It was extremely tough for them – several people melted somewhat – but they pushed on and continued with their journey.”

“What I find incredible is the resilience of the people that participated – most of the cars in the rally cost under £350 and yet they travelled those distances in that heat, up and down motorway mountain passes on some of the fastest driving routes in Europe …and the cars survived - well, most of them! Sadly, one of our teams, Piston Broke had to pull out before we reached our final destination.

Luke’s Story - Team Piston Broke

Before I had even started working for Parenta, my best mate and I had decided that we wanted to take part in the Maidstone to Monaco rally. What better way to have fun with like-minded people, all raising funds for such a worthy cause - and for the company that I was just about to start working for! We drove my classic MG. She did us proud, but in hindsight, we probably let her down by not taking enough breaks, especially in such hot conditions…which is why she broke down half way there! We made it home in one piece and we live to tell the tale! We absolutely loved the experience and even though we didn’t make it to Monaco, I would highly recommend it. We can’t wait to do it again next year…with a slightly newer car!

Read on to find out how you can support the incredible work of Parenta Trust by sponsoring a child … or even signing up for next year’s Maidstone to Monaco rally !

PRESS RELEASE!

websites@parenta.com (Parenta Websites) — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 11:58:25 GMT

Early Years Education Charity calls for participants for ‘road trip of a lifetime’

Early years education charity, Parenta Trust is calling for teams to take part in a ‘road trip of a lifetime’ – the Maidstone to Monaco Rally.

From 26th to 30th June 2019, ‘petrol heads’ in both two- and four-wheeled vehicles will travel 2,000 miles through eight countries, traverse the Alps and negotiate the winding roads of the Furka Pass. The annual five-day escapade encompasses camping under the stars and taking part in challenges - before reaching the final destination of glamorous Monaco.

All funds raised from the rally go towards building pre-schools for children in need of a quality education in deprived areas of the world.

Parenta Trust founder and trustee, Allan Presland said; “The Maidstone to Monaco rally is a fantastic way to bring people together for a great cause and have fun along the way. It’s growing in size year-on-year and our 6th rally, in 2019, will be opened up to two-wheel vehicles, not just four. So now, car and motorcycle ‘petrol heads’ can unite on this five-day journey of fun, laughter and exploration. The support we receive every year is nothing less than astounding; but we are always looking for more people to get involved. We already have quite a few teams signed up – but the more the merrier - so we are appealing for more teams to come and join us and help us with “the drive to build a school”!

“Every day I feel privileged to have the opportunity to play a part in the crucial task of giving children in deprived areas of the world an early years education. Our 5th school will open in early 2019 and in addition, funds raised from the 2018 Maidstone to Monaco Rally and our two charity balls, means that we are now finalising funds for our next school. Together we can raise enough funds to continue building a new pre-school year on year. With every pre-school we build, we can give on average another 200 children the opportunity they deserve to have an early years education – come and join us for an automotive adventure!”

Parenta Trust, which supports disadvantaged children across the world by providing quality pre-school education, was founded by Allan Presland in 2013 after a life-changing trip to Kampala in Uganda. The stark reality of poverty and lack of education for pre-school children hit him hard on the day he found a young girl on a rubbish tip on top of a cemetery in an area known locally as ‘Kosovo’. She was scavenging for food and Allan found it heartbreaking that she clearly had to fend for herself to even find food let alone be given an early years education. He returned to the UK to set up a charity, leveraging his existing network of contacts in the early years sector and his ambitious quest to build one pre-school per year began.

Further information on the Maidstone to Monaco rally can be found here .

For further information, interviews or high res images, please contact Gail James at Parenta Trust on 0800 002 9242 Ext. 3207 / 07760 751591 or email gail.james@parenta.com

Allan Presland, Founder of Parenta Trust and CEO of Parenta Group , said: “After seeing first-hand the enormity of the poverty and lack of education for pre-school children in post-conflict East Africa, I knew I had to do something significant to help; so I set up Parenta Trust to support the building of further pre-schools in the region. Our charity has the support, passion and driving-force of some remarkable people who are united in the belief that all children deserve to have a basic education, no matter where they are in the world.

Parenta Trust was founded in 2013 by Allan Presland, CEO of Parenta , the UK’s largest provider of business support systems and apprenticeships in the Early Years Sector. His mission is to educate the youngest, most vulnerable children from deprived areas across the world, by building pre-schools and providing a sponsorship programme. The Trust aims to give these children an opportunity to benefit from an education from an early age. Parenta Trust is assisted by international development charity Fields of Life which collaborates with the local communities ‘on the ground’. Parenta Trust has an ambitious target to build 10 schools over the next decade in Africa. This goal has seen supporters take part in cake bakes, raffles, quiz nights, BBQs and the infamous annual rally. Further information on the work of Parenta Trust can be found here .

Donate to our charity as you shop!

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 11:26:12 GMT

With Christmas just around the corner and Black Friday weekend upon us (23rd to 26th November), why not sign up to Amazon Smile and make even more of a difference to Parenta Trust?

Amazon Smile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com.

The difference is that when you shop on Amazon Smile and select Parenta Trust as your chosen charity, the Amazon Smile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of what you’ve bought to Parenta Trust.

More information can be found here – please help us by registering.

Happy shopping!

Update on fundraising for schools!

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 11:25:34 GMT

School build is almost complete!

Parenta Trust is now in its 5th year and we are happy to announce that our 5th school will be complete by early 2019!

The Komoret Nursery School in Nakapiripit, Karamoja is part of a brand new school community project and phase 2 of the build includes the nursery school funded by Parenta Trust.

With every pre-school we build, together, we can give on average another 200 children the opportunity they deserve to have an early years education.

On the home straight for school number 6

Funds raised from last year’s Maidstone to Monaco Rally, together with the generosity of all those who attended our two charity balls this year means that we are finalising funds for our 6th school .

We are on the home straight – thank you so much to all those involved!

Fundraising for school number 7

We are excited to announce that fundraising is well underway for our 7th school !

Barnaby Wynter, Master of Ceremonies at the last three Parenta Trust Balls is working hard to raise funds through a variety of activities. Not only has he decided to take part in the 2019 Parenta Trust Rally, he has set himself a target to pay for the build of the 7th school entirely from his own fundraising.

He said; “After this year’s charity ball, I thought that I would set myself a target. I am excited to participate in the 2019 Rally for the first time. I didn’t feel that even taking part in the Rally was ambitious enough. This may sound strange, but I have a thing about anything that has a ‘7’ in it, especially the number 57. So I thought I‘d set a target for 2019 to raise enough money to build the 7th school. It’s a long way off, but I have also promised to pay for the 57th school too!”

Barnaby has put together a match funded programme with his company, The Brand Bucket Company Ltd, to raise £20,000. He will be undertaking various activities for donations including finding work for other companies, providing one-to-one mentoring sessions to small business owners, running workshops and other fundraising activities throughout the year. Four weeks into fundraising and the project has already raised £4,680 towards its target!

For information on how you can get involved, please visit here .

Remember any donation will be doubled by The Brand Bucket Company Ltd!

From Maidstone to Monaco - Register now for a road trip of a lifetime!

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 11:24:00 GMT

Registration is now open and teams have already signed up for the road trip of a lifetime – the 2019 Parenta Trust Maidstone to Monaco Rally.

Don't miss this great adventure, register today! From 26th – 30th June 2019, we will travel 2,000 miles across 8 countries in our ‘rally’ cars and motorbikes and finish in Monaco with a celebratory night out!

All proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards building our next pre-school.

Charity Balls!

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 11:23:01 GMT

For the first time in our five-year history, we hosted two very successful black-tie charity balls in the same year.

The first was held in Maidstone at the Great Danes Mercure Hotel in September where a sparkling fun-filled evening was had by all.

The second was held at the Hilton Bath City Hotel in October where guests enjoyed a wonderful dinner, took part in party games and danced the night away, all in aid of such an amazing cause.

Some fabulous prizes were donated to the silent auctions, including a signed rugby shirt from Bath Rugby Club. An incredible £7,000 was raised, with all proceeds going directly to help provide an early years education to the children who need it most.

A very special thank you to both Suzi Presland and Amanda Presland for their tireless work organising these two events – no mean feat!

A special thank you to all those who gave their time and services; and to those who donated to the silent auctions and the raffles. Without your generosity these charity events would not be possible.

Parenta Trust Rally teams return from road trip of a lifetime

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 08:51:12 GMT

Participants in an annual car rally, organised by Parenta Trust, have made a triumphant return to Kent after a journey of over 2000 miles in just 5 days.

The drivers assembled at Parenta headquarters in Maidstone on Wednesday 27th June to begin their epic adventure, which lasted until Sunday 1st July.

The rally – now in its 5th year – raises vital funds to build pre-schools for children in deprived areas of the world. Teams are tasked with finding a car costing no more than £350 to complete a ‘road trip of a lifetime’ through Europe.

Travelling through 8 countries, teams must negotiate the winding roads of the infamous Furka Pass, camping and undertaking various challenges along the way. Their final destination before returning home is Monaco, where there is a traditional celebratory night out to mark the end of the rally.

Parenta Trust founder and trustee, Allan Presland said: “What a fantastic and emotional journey! We are enormously grateful to all the people who joined us on our 5th rally and, of course, to those who sponsored those taking part in what was 5 days of adventure and excitement with plenty of fun and laughter along the way!

“We had our fair share of car breakdowns…mostly my car, as usual! We had an amazing response from the European authorities throughout our journey – in particular the Border Guards and Police in Belgium – they even asked if they could get inside my car for a photo opportunity! We were given a special escort at one point; and as we approached the Mont Blanc tunnel the guards looked officious but when they saw the furry banger cars and realised we were participating in a charity rally, they laughed and joked with us and were very supportive.

“Every day I feel privileged to have the opportunity to play a part in the crucial task of giving children in East Africa the chance to have an early years education. We have raised a significant amount of money from this rally and we’re on target for the £14k we were hoping for. Fundraising work will commence for our 7th school early next year; and the funds raised from this year’s rally help to build our 6th school. Our 5th school - in honour of former Parenta head of marketing and trustee of the charity, Dan Carlton, who sadly passed away in December 2016 – will be ready by Easter 2019 and we very much hope that Dan’s parents who participated in the rally for the first time this year, will be able to officially open it.

“We have two more fundraising events to look forward to this year, both slightly more glamorous than a car rally! Two black tie charity balls - one in Maidstone and one in Bath – a great way to end a successful year of fundraising with wonderful food, drink, dancing and of course, the obligatory charity raffle!”

The charity was founded by Allan Presland in 2013 following a life-changing trip to Kampala in Uganda. Whilst there, Allan witnessed a young girl scavenging for food on a rubbish tip on top of a cemetery. It was in this moment that the stark reality of poverty and the lack of education for pre-school children in Africa struck him.

Upon his return to the UK, Allan set up the Parenta Trust with the aim of providing high-quality early years education to children in disadvantaged countries. With the help of his contacts, he started an ambitious quest to build one pre-school per year. With four schools completed in just four years, April 2019 will see the opening of the charity’s fifth pre-school in Uganda.

Find out more about sponsoring a child in a Parenta Trust school here .

Cows donated to Parenta Trust nursery in Uganda are thriving

Natalie.macdonald@parenta.com (Natalie MacDonald) — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 08:38:10 GMT

Last October, trustee Marie Kershaw travelled to Uganda to see how money from her grandfather’s estate had been used to help Nyakabale nursery school.

The Parenta Trust’s fourth nursery, located in Kasese, was identified as being the most in need and so it was arranged for the funds to be spent there. A small piece of land, two cows, a bull, the animals’ shelter and food for 1 year was bought with the generous donation.

Happily, the duo of cows and bull have now produced a calf. The milk from the cows is being used to make nutritious porridge for 450 children. The headmaster of the school hopes that the herd will continue to thrive.

Marie said: “I was overjoyed to hear how well the cows and bull were doing at Nyakabale. It is great to hear how the herd is growing and that so many children are receiving good nutrition from the milk that the cows are producing each day.”

The Parenta Trust is committed to providing life-changing opportunities for disadvantaged children around the world. Having completed the build of 4 nurseries in just four years, the charity is making plans to complete 250 schools in the next decade.

You can support the Parenta Trust by making a donation , sponsoring a child in a Parenta Trust school or taking part in a fundraising event .

Popular charity quiz raises over £800 for the Trust

Natalie.macdonald@parenta.com (Natalie MacDonald) — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 14:55:53 GMT

On Sunday 3rd June, Parenta employee Marie Kershaw organised a quiz night to help raise money for the Parenta Trust at Lordswood Leisure Centre in Kent.

By the end of the evening, £852.84 had been raised, topping last year’s total of £562.

Marie, who is also a trustee of the charity, said: “I am so proud of how the quiz has gone from strength to strength. Each year more and more people join the quiz, and each year more and more valuable money is raised to help build pre-schools in Uganda and other parts of the world.

“I can never thank everyone enough for their continuous support – ’till the next year!”

The Parenta Trust is currently raising money to build its sixth pre-school as part of its pledge to build 250 schools for disadvantaged children over the course of a decade.

To support the work of the Parenta Trust or sponsor a child in a Parenta Trust school, click here .

Parenta Trust gears up to build its fifth pre-school in Uganda

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Parenta Trust is delighted to announce that it has commissioned its fifth pre-school in Uganda, with building work set to commence in the coming months.

The new pre-school is the latest addition to the charity’s portfolio and will be co-located with a primary school. In addition to standard classrooms, the building will be fitted with a block of latrines and a rainwater collection system.

Last year, Chief Peter Adei took off his royal black hat and donated it during a charity auction to raise funds for the education of his people. He said: “I do not have much, but I am donating my hat to be sold so that you can raise whatever you can to support us.”

Allan Presland, CEO of Parenta, put in a successful bid of 72 million Ugandan shillings for the prestigious hat. The funds have resulted in the commissioning of a new pre-school in Karamoja, northern Uganda, which will be completed next year.

The Parenta Trust trustees took the decision last year to dedicate the fifth school to a former colleague and dear friend, Dan Carlton. Before he sadly lost his hard-fought battle with cancer in December 2016, Dan visited Uganda with the charity and decided to sponsor a girl on his return to the UK.

As part of its mission, the charity is trying to find a sponsor for every child who attends a Parenta Trust school. Sponsorship, which costs just £17 per month, helps to provide the children with one meal per day, a school uniform, school supplies and a present at Christmas.

Allan Presland, the charity’s founder, said: “We are delighted that we are able to commission our fifth nursery school within five years, this time in an area of extreme poverty. This new school, which will look after up to 200 orphaned and disadvantaged children, is a fitting tribute to our friend and former colleague Dan.”

If you would like to support the work of the Parenta Trust or find out how to become a child sponsor, please visit Parenta.com/Charity .

Cows donated to help Parenta Trust school in Uganda

Fri, 03 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

On Thursday 5th October, trustee Marie Kershaw travelled to Uganda. As part of her visit, Marie called in at some of the Parenta Trust schools to hand-deliver letters to the children from their sponsors back in the UK.

The purpose of her visit was twofold: to visit the children but also to see how money from her grandfather’s estate had been used to help Nyakabale nursery school in Kasese.

Marie said: “I bought some cows using money left from the sale of goods from my granddad’s house after he had to move into a home last year. My family wanted something that would help the children, as well as it being something meaningful to my grandparents.

“My granddad is British and my nan was German and they met and married during WW2. They had both experienced what life was like with a shortage of food.

“Our fourth nursery was the most in need and so it was arranged for our money to be spent there. It bought a small piece of land, 3 cows, 1 bull, their shelter, vet bills for a year, food and salts, and seed to grow their own feed.”

When asked how the animals would benefit the school, the headmaster said that they would use the milk for the children’s daily porridge. He added that he hopes to produce more cows by the time Marie visits again.

The Parenta Trust is committed to providing life-changing opportunities for disadvantaged children in Africa. Having completed the build of 4 nurseries in just fours years, the charity is making plans to break ground on their fifth nursery in Karamoja, northeastern Uganda.

You can support the Parenta Trust by making a donation , sponsoring a child in a Parenta Trust school or taking part in a fundraising event .

Why sponsor a child with the Parenta Trust?

Thu, 28 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Throughout East Africa, many children are being deprived of an education. They don’t have the opportunity to reach their full potential by attending school. Their day-to-day lives are filled with domestic chores such as fetching water, digging in fields and helping to look after younger siblings.

The Parenta Trust hopes to change that. To date, the charity has built 4 pre-schools in Uganda, with a fifth one already in the pipeline.

As part of the charity’s pledge to build 10 pre-schools in a 10-year period, they also aim to have children in Parenta Trust schools matched with their very own sponsor.

The Parenta Trust’s sponsorship programme ensures the most vulnerable children are identified and provided with the assistance they need to go to school. As a result, they develop skills to enable them to break out of the cycle of poverty and hardship.

Sponsoring a child is a very special experience indeed! For £17 per month, which is less than 56p per day, a child’s life can be transformed. Sponsorship enables a child in Uganda to have an education, a school uniform, one hot meal a day, school stationery and a gift at Christmas.

As a sponsor of a child in a Parenta Trust school, you’ll play a significant role in shaping their future. You’ll receive letters and drawings from your sponsored child twice per year, as well as a card at Christmas time. Should you wish to, you can even go to Uganda with the Parenta Trust and meet your sponsored child in person!

We asked Debra Sinclair, our Regional Training Manager, what made her become a sponsor:

“I sponsored a child initially because I did the first Maidstone to Monaco banger rally , had an absolutely great time, raised lots of money and met lots of lovely new people. All these new people I met were thrown together on this 4-day adventure, however I found we all had one thing in common and that was the cause.

“Once we were back in the UK after the trip, feeling great, I wanted to see how the money we had raised was being used and that’s when my eyes really did open!

“To put things into perspective of what it costs me to sponsor Victor a month: for the price I pay for a mascara, I ensure he has a uniform, a meal and fresh drinking water every day for the month. Probably the harshest realisation of all was when I joined Weight Watchers. We all know why we have to join Weight Watchers (overindulgence). However, when I found out the cost of a monthly subscription to that was more than the cost of sponsoring Victor, I was absolutely mortified.

“What I am trying to say is the cost of what I pay for Victor is so insignificant compared to a few drinks in a bar, a ticket to a show, a new jumper and so many other things I don’t necessarily need. In comparison, the benefits Victor receives from sponsorship are endless.

“I’ve had letters from Victor thanking me, telling me about what he likes and his friends. Gradually, over the years, I’ve seen how his sentences and vocabulary have grown. It’s so humbling for me to see how Victor has grown, too. The last picture I got of him, funnily enough, was with Allan [the charity’s founder] and I couldn’t believe how much he had changed. He still had the same beaming smile, though!

“I’ve sent some gifts out to Victor over the years and was so chuffed one year when I sent him a blue football strip (blue is his favourite colour). I got a picture of him actually wearing it. It completely melted me.

“Sponsoring a child is now about making me feel good, but it’s also about the huge impact it has on the child. When I do see him, I can’t help but burst. Every time I talk about Victor I can’t help but smile and, as I sit here writing this up, I can feel myself beaming.”

Change a child’s life today – become a sponsor with the Parenta Trust! For more details, fill in an enquiry form or email trust@parenta.com

Annual charity quiz is a resounding success

Tue, 16 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

On Sunday 7th May, Parenta employee Marie Kershaw organised a quiz night to help raise money for the Parenta Trust at Lordswood Leisure Centre in Kent.

By the end of the evening, £562.05 had been raised to split equally between the Parenta Trust, Cancer Research and Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Marie, who is also a trustee of the Parenta Trust, said: “I would like to thank everyone for being so supportive; not just this year but for every year I have hosted the quiz night; whether that was by offering raffle prizes, putting teams together and attending or selflessly munching your way through the food on the night and the charity cake bakes in the office.

“These charities mean a lot to me, as I’m sure they do for a lot of other people too, and you have all helped to make a difference and raise money for their causes. You are all amazing. Thank you.”

Later this year, the Parenta Trust will be finalising the build of its fifth pre-school in Uganda as part of its pledge to build 10 schools over the course of a decade.

To support the work of the Parenta Trust or sponsor a child in a Parenta Trust school, click here .

5 great reasons to sign up to the Parenta Trust Rally today

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Parenta Trust Rally is one of the main events in the charity’s fundraising calendar. Bringing together teams in ‘banger’ cars, it begins in Kent and sees drivers take on various challenges as they drive through Europe over 5 days. Need any more encouragement to take part? Here are 5 great reasons below!

1.You’ll be helping a worthwhile cause

The first and arguably the most important reason: all the money raised as part of the banger rally goes towards building pre-schools in Africa. The Trust has so far built 4 schools in the past 3 years, offering an education for 800 children living in poverty. This year, the charity will be constructing its fifth nursery in Uganda.

2.You’ll have an unforgettable experience

As part of the journey, you’ll get to drive on the legendary Furka Pass (as featured in James Bond’s Goldfinger), the Grand St Bernard pass (from The Italian Job), and the Route Napoleon (as featured in James Bond’s Quantum of Solace). You’ll also be nipping through 8 countries en route, spending the final evening in Monaco to celebrate the journey’s end.

3.You’ll make new friends

This is a rally rather than a race, so all the teams more or less travel together. Every evening, you’ll be pitching tents in campsites and hopefully getting to know your fellow drivers. People of all ages and walks of life take part in the Parenta Trust rally, so you never know who you’ll find yourself talking to over the camp fire!

4.You’ll have a laugh with your team

Is there any better excuse for a bonding experience then going on a road trip? The only limit to the number of people on your team is how many your car can legally carry! So grab your nearest and dearest, buckle up, and prepare for a laugh as you tackle the journey together.

5.You can get creative with your car

The aim of the rally is to drive a banger worth no more than £350 across 2,000 miles of Europe’s best roads and then get it back to the UK. To add to the fun, a theme is set to inspire participants and teams can interpret this however they wish. By taking part, you can get creative and decorate your car in a way which best expresses your team’s personality. So what are you waiting for?

Interested? Join us on the next rally from Wednesday 21st June – Sunday 25th June 2017!

Parenta Trust funds Christmas party for 1000 orphans

Tue, 17 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In November, the Parenta Trust aimed to raise £1000 to give orphaned and disadvantaged children living in slums near Kampala, Uganda, an unforgettable Christmas and New Year party.

The appeal followed a visit by the charity to a primary and nursery school in the slums of Kosovo. Whilst there, the Parenta Trust team came face to face with children living in appalling poverty – with many of them orphaned through disease or war.

During the last day of their visit, the team met Pastor Deo who runs a church and local school. He disclosed that he wanted to provide a Christmas party for over 1000 of these children, but could not afford to.

In response, Allan Presland – founder of the Parenta Trust – launched a JustGiving appeal with a £1000 target. The support received was overwhelming, with over 75% of the money raised in just 48 hours.

Staff at the Parenta head office pitched in to help raise funds for the cause, by cooking breakfasts for colleagues and holding a raffle, which generated £150.

The charity is delighted to announce that the money was raised in full and that the children had a wonderful time over the Christmas period.

Allan Presland, CEO of Parenta, said: “Thanks to the amazing staff at Parenta, along with friends and family, we were able to raise the funds to pay for the children’s party. Having seen the pictures and videos, it’s clear the children of Kosovo had an incredible time. Well done to Deo and his team.”

Hats off for the Parenta Trust’s fifth pre-school

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Recently, the Parenta Trust were able to share the exciting news that a third and fourth pre-school had been officially opened in Uganda. Following on from that announcement, the charity is delighted to be able to disclose that plans for a fifth pre-school are now underway!

In a bizarre turn of events, the decision on where to build the fifth pre-school was confirmed at a fundraising dinner in Kampala which was organised by charity Fields of Life.

The King of Karamoja – Chief Peter Adei – took off his royal black hat and donated it during the charity auction to raise funds for the education of his people. He said: “I do not have much, but I am donating my hat to be sold so that you can raise whatever you can to support us.”

CEO of Parenta, Allan Presland, successfully put in a bid for 72 million Ugandan shillings for the prestigious hat. The money will be used to fund the construction of a pre-school and primary school in Komoret village in Karamoja, north eastern Uganda.

Once built, the two new schools will work hand in hand to reduce one of the lowest school enrolment rates in Uganda; enabling a smooth transition from nursery to primary education for local children.

Allan Presland, founder of the Parenta Trust, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet the King of Karamoja, and to hear the stories of the history of his people and region.

“Bidding for his Chief’s hat was a fun experience but I’m really looking forward to getting the new pre-school built and meeting the children of Komoret and Karamoja when we visit the area to open the school next year.”

If you would like to sponsor a child in a Parenta Trust school or pledge your support in another way, please visit www.parenta.com/support-the-parenta-trust/ .

Parenta Trust’s third and fourth pre-schools are now open!

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Last week, a group of 7 people representing the Parenta Trust witnessed the official opening of the charity’s third and fourth pre-schools in Uganda.

When both schools are at full capacity, they will be able to provide nursery education for 300 youngsters. Both schools were built by partner charity Fields of Life and funded entirely through money raised by the Parenta Trust.

The opening of Nyakabale Nursery School in the Kasese district was attended by prestigious guests, including the Bishop of Uganda and the local MP. A plaque was unveiled which dedicated the school in memory of Marlene Cameron, who is the late mother of Debbie Cameron – Head of Fundraising at Fields of Life.

The fourth school, Kiti Parents Nursery School, was similarly dedicated in memory of Moira Hawkins – the late mother of Parenta Trust trustee, Amanda Presland. This school is the largest within Parenta Trust’s portfolio, with 3 classrooms and 2 office rooms, and is located in the Wakiso district of Uganda, just north of the capital Kampala.

The completion of the two new nurseries takes the total number of schools built by the Trust to 4, in a time span of just 3 years.

The Parenta Trust is now laying down plans to commission their fifth nursery, which will be built in Karamoja (north eastern Uganda). The fifth school will be partnered with a local primary school to ensure that children have a smooth transition from nursery to primary education.

Allan Presland, CEO of Parenta and a founder of the charity, said:

“It was truly humbling to open our two schools last week. The fact that we were able to dedicate both schools to the memory of the mothers of two of our trustees made the events even more special.

“The welcome we received at both schools with local dignitaries as well as the school staff and all the children was quite incredible. It included singing in English from both groups of pre-school children. Given that English is their second language, their ability was astounding.

“We now look forward to raising funds for our fifth school in Karamoja which we expect to be completed in late 2017.”

If you would like to find out more about the Parenta Trust, sponsor a child in a Parenta Trust school or pledge your support to the charity in another way, please visit https://www.parenta.com/support-the-parenta-trust/ .

Parenta Trust prepares to unveil 2 new pre-schools in Uganda

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

On November 5, a team of 7 people representing the Parenta Trust will fly to Uganda to officially unveil two new pre-schools for orphaned and disadvantaged children.

The two new sites – located in Wakiso and Kasese – are the latest additions to the charity’s portfolio of school buildings. Once completed, they will be able to provide nursery education for around 300 youngsters.

Each school will house a block of latrines for sanitation and a rainwater collection system, as well as the classrooms themselves. The schools will provide employment for a team of teachers and support staff, as well as reducing the dropout rate of children who currently have to walk long distances to attend school.

The charity was created just 3 years ago and is currently exceeding its initial target to build one school per year in Uganda.

As part of the Parenta Trust school building programme, the charity is also trying to find a sponsor for each child. This helps with the cost of providing 1 meal per day of stew, a school uniform, school supplies and presents to the children at Christmas.

One member of the team, Suzi, has asked friends and fellow parents for donations of good school shoes to take out to Uganda, and has managed to collect 119 pairs in just 5 weeks.

Trustee Amanda Presland, who will be flying out with the group, said:

“The most rewarding thing about being involved in the Trust is being able to go to Uganda and meet the children whose lives we’ve helped transform with our schools. I feel like it’s such a privilege.

“We’ll be opening 2 new schools, one of which will be dedicated to the memory of my mum. It’s going to be such a wonderful experience and I’m really excited.”

If you would like to help open new schools in Uganda or pledge your support in another way, please visit https://www.parenta.com/support-the-parenta-trust/ .

Preparing for the trip of a lifetime

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Suzi Presland is one of 7 people going to visit Uganda with the Parenta Trust, along with her husband Dave. She’ll be leaving on 5th November and, as part of the excursion, will be visiting Parenta Trust schools and meeting her sponsored child. Here, we find out how she’s been preparing:

What will you be taking with you?

We’re going to be taking clothes and school equipment, as well as lots of pairs of shoes! I put out a Facebook plea to parents and friends to donate pre-loved, good quality school shoes for the children. I keep getting handed shoes on the school run as well as coming home to find shoes on my doorstep! I’ve collected 119 pairs of school shoes in the space of 5 weeks, which myself and my daughters have now finished polishing and matching up.

How long have you sponsored a child with the Parenta Trust for?

We’ve sponsored our little girl, Gift, for about 20 months now and we’ve loved receiving letters and photos from her. She is 6 years old and attends Good Shepherd Nursery School, which is north of Kampala. We’re so excited about meeting her for the first time when we fly out next month!

Why did you decide to sponsor a child?

We attended a Parenta Trust charity ball two years ago and we were completely moved by the stories told about the children.

I’m a school teacher myself, so having the incredible opportunity to support the education of children in Uganda as well as those in the UK was one of the main reasons I decided to become a sponsor.

I’m also a mother to 2 girls – one of whom is about the same age as my sponsored child – so it’s a wonderful chance for them to find out more about the world and have that connection with someone who lives on a different continent.

As a recently qualified Thrive Practitioner, the mental health and wellbeing of children is of real importance to me. When I visit Uganda, I’d really like to find out what the differences are between children here in the UK and youngsters living out there. So, for me, I have both personal and professional reasons for becoming a sponsor.

What does the trip entail and what are you most excited about?

As part of our trip, we’re going to be visiting three Parenta Trust schools in Uganda: Good Shepherd Nursery School, Opilitok Nursery School and the newly built Kiti Parents Nursery. We’re also going to be taken to see a fresh water drilling site near North Kampala.

We’re most excited about meeting our sponsored girl, Gift, for the very first time and giving her some presents. It’s going to be a wonderful experience!

If you’d like to support the Parenta Trust or find out more about visiting the schools we’ve built in Uganda, please get in touch!

7 reasons to support the work of the Parenta Trust

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Formed in 2013, the Parenta Trust has achieved so much in such a short space of time. Ahead of schedule, we’ve already built 2 pre-schools in Uganda with a further two being opened next month.

However, these achievements wouldn’t have been possible without the funds raised by our supporters. From simple bake sales in the office, right through to more complex half marathons and triathlons (as well as our infamous yearly banger rally!), hundreds of people have pitched in to help support our worthy cause.

With this in mind, we’ve put together 7 reasons why supporting the work of the Trust is so incredibly important:

Parenta Trust pre-schools are a lifeline. Not only do they provide a basic education for children, but they take the burden off families by providing each child with 1 meal a day of either stew or oat paste. This doesn’t sound like very much, but considering most children go without eating all day (until supper) this makes a world of difference.
Many children walk long distances to go to school and often, from a very young age, are expected to work on the land before and after the school day. The nurseries we’ve built in Luwero, Kabermaido (and soon, Wakiso and Kasese) ensure children in the local community don’t have to spend a large amount of their day travelling to a classroom by foot.
Each school provides employment for a team of teachers and assistants. With each school being able to cater for between 140-250 children, a network of support staff is absolutely invaluable.
Just as children in the UK are given equal opportunities to learn at school, Parenta Trust nurseries allow every child to have the best possible start to life. This is crucial to their development in the formative years.
Children in rural Uganda often live in basic, hand-built huts without running water or electricity. Each nursery school built by the Trust has a rainwater collection system and latrines, providing a basic source of sanitation for the children to stay healthy and happy.
Parenta Trust schools provide a stop-gap for children to transition from nursery to reception, with many of our pre-schools being successfully partnered with an established local primary school to enable this to happen.
With many Ugandan families living below the rural poverty line (on less than 98p per day), attending school allows children to aspire to a better life. Whether it be to become a doctor or nurse, it’s the first step on the road to a better existence for themselves and their families.

Here are just 7 reasons why the work of the Parenta Trust is so invaluable. And there’s so much you can do to get involved! From taking on a fun run to even becoming a sponsor to a child in Uganda – there’s something for everyone. So why not help support our vision of building 10 schools in Africa over a decade? Together, we can do it!

Make your contribution to our life-changing work today

Parenta Trust’s third and fourth nurseries are now in build!

Fri, 16 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

It wasn’t too long ago that the Parenta Trust celebrated the build of their second pre-school in Uganda.

Now the charity is delighted to announce that the construction of their third and fourth nursery schools is progressing as planned. The third school is being built in the Wakiso District of Uganda in the grounds of Kiti Parents Primary School, with roof trusses being added to the building at the beginning of this month.

Work on the fourth pre-school is currently underway in the Kasese District of Uganda, with builders already having finishing laying the slab. The pre-school occupies the same site as Nyakabale Church of Uganda Primary School, making it easier for youngsters to transition from nursery to school.

Once both schools are finished, this will take the Parenta Trust’s total count of pre-schools to 4. This exceeds the expected rate of building one school per year, as pledged by the charity’s trustees back in 2013.

On November 5, a team of Parenta Trust supporters will fly from the UK to officially open the two new nurseries and learn more about how the charity makes a difference to the lives of children and local communities.

Allan Presland, CEO of Parenta and a trustee of the charity, said of the two new schools: “We are excited to be travelling to Uganda in early November to open our two new nursery schools.

“Once full, we will have around 300 orphaned and disadvantaged children receiving a nursery education. My thanks go to everyone who has supported us with this outstanding achievement.”

To register your interest in joining the forthcoming trip to Uganda, visit: parenta.com/support-the-parenta-trust

Notes to editors:

Parenta Trust is the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies. Charity number 115 3051

To find out more about Parenta Trust, its charitable events, or sponsoring a child within a Parenta Trust school, please visit Parenta.com/Charity .

Fundraising for the Trust so far

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The employees of Parenta are continuously coming up with fresh ideas to raise money for the Trust, with some of them even getting together in small groups to help the cause. So far, the Trust has raised enough money for 4 pre-schools, with 2 already built and the 3rd and 4th in build at the moment. Each school can cater for between 150 – 200 children, meaning that we’ve already raised enough money to give over 600 youngsters an education in East Africa!

How we’ve done it

Our amazing Customer Care Team completed a Maidstone to Paris triathlon in which they took turns to run, row and cycle the distance (240 miles) – all in between answering the phones and carrying out their daily roles. The challenge took 23 hours and 12 minutes, raising £531.75.

Our Marketing Team have also been getting active by taking part in the 2015 10k Major Series and raising £100 for the Trust. Natalie, our copywriter, also completed a ½ marathon in Bedgebury the year before, raising a further £315.

The entire business has also participated in BBQs, sweepstakes and contributed to the tuck shop, which is available on every floor of the Parenta building.

We also hold an annual banger rally which starts at our office in Maidstone and finishes in Monaco. In 2015, the teams who participated in this event raised an incredible £13,000! To register your interest in joining us for the next one, please visit our website.

How you can get involved

Sponsor a child

Sponsorship costs just £17 and provides a child in Uganda with their pre-school education, a school uniform, a daily hot meal, a Christmas gift and school supplies. You’ll receive personalised information about how the child is doing and handwritten Christmas cards from him/her. Sponsoring a child is very rewarding and something that many of our staff at Parenta are already a part of – you can find out more about how to sponsor a child here .

Sign up to our banger rally

Our next rally will take place on 21st – 25th June 2017. To get involved, all you need to do is get a group of people together, purchase a car worth no more than £400 and then prepare for the adventure of a lifetime! We also ask that each team raises £1000 for the Trust prior to participating; you can find out more or register your interest here .

Donate

If you’d simply like to donate to the cause, feel free to visit our Just Giving page , where any contribution – big or small – is kindly appreciated.

What difference does sponsorship make to the life of a child?

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Two years ago, Parenta employee Natalie decided to sponsor a child attending a Parenta Trust nursery school. Here, she explains what this decision means to her and what difference it makes to the life of the child she supports:

I sponsor a 4-year-old girl in Uganda whose name is Juliet Nabaka.

Juliet attends Good Shepherd Nursery School and, from the letters she writes to me, I know that she likes drawing, playing with a skipping rope and has a friend called Brasiyo.

When she grows up, Juliet wants to be a nurse.

I’ve never met this little girl before, but her resilience astounds me. You see, Juliet hasn’t had the easiest start. She was born into a big family with 7 young siblings. Her life began in a household whose resources were already infinitely overstretched.

And what of her future? In Africa, society’s expectations of girls all too frequently see them sidelined into traditional domestic roles, including cooking, cleaning and raising children. This is reflected in the fact that 46% of girls in Uganda will be married by the age of 18 and most of these go on to have their first child by the age of 19.

By sponsoring a child, I’m giving something invaluable – the gift of an education.

The chance that Juliet can go on and follow her dreams, because she wishes to become a nurse and help other people.

The sponsorship I pay is just £17 a month to put this little girl through her pre-school education. And – let’s face it – what’s £17 to me? It’s a new top. It’s a few drinks with friends on a Friday evening…nothing I can’t live without!

But to Juliet, my sponsorship means everything , because that money doesn’t only ensure that she has a basic education. It has far-reaching effects for her family, too.

Her school, Good Shepherd Nursery, is a focal point for her community where everyone can share a sense of pride that their children are receiving an education to make a better life for themselves and generations to come.

Because I’ve chosen to forego buying that top, or those drinks, Juliet receives a school uniform, Christmas gift, school supplies and a hot meal every day.

So, you see, sponsorship isn’t just a sum of money – it’s an absolute lifeline!

It shows Juliet that a complete stranger, living somewhere on a different continent, believes in her and her unlimited potential as a girl.

It’s my vote of confidence that she can become anything she wants to and that she can follow the direction of her dreams, whatever they may be.

How would you feel if someone living in a different part of the world reached out and effectively – through their actions – said to you, “I believe in you and am behind you 100% of the way”? Imagine the things you could go on to achieve with that kind of support!

That is one of the reasons I decided to sponsor a child and the reason you should consider it, too!

Exciting news: Fourth school has been commissioned!

Fri, 11 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE: Parenta Trust, the charitable arm of the Parenta Group, has commissioned its fourth nursery school in Uganda. The charity set itself the ambitious goal of building ten pre-schools for orphaned and disadvantaged children within ten years.

In commissioning its fourth school, it is ahead of plan, having commissioned four schools in three years.

The new nursery, which will be based on the same blueprint as its three predecessors, will comprise 3 classrooms, a latrine block and a rainwater collection system. Once completed, it will be able to accommodate between 150 to 200 under 5’s.

Construction of the new building will be overseen by partner on the ground Fields of Life and it is hoped that the works will be finished this summer.

The nursery will be situated in the district of Kasese, close to the border with Rwanda. It will be perfectly positioned to help children transition from pre-school to primary education due to its proximity to Nyakabale Primary School.

Allan Presland, CEO of the Parenta Group and founder of the charity, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that we have been able to commission our fourth school in Eastern Africa within just three years.

“By the end of this year, we will have nearly 700 orphaned and disadvantaged pre-school aged children receiving an education within Parenta Trust schools. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has raised money or sponsored children for our cause, which will make a life-changing impact on these vulnerable children.”

Notes to editors:

Parenta Trust is the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies. Charity number 115 3051

The countdown begins for the annual Parenta Trust banger rally!

Fri, 11 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The next Parenta Trust banger rally is scheduled to take place on 22nd-26th June, with teams meeting at the Parenta head office in Maidstone.

This important fundraising event will see the charity raise money for the construction of its next pre-school in Uganda, bringing the total number of schools to 5.

The Parenta Trust has enjoyed enormous support since its creation in 2013 and has so far exceeded its aim of building one new pre-school each year in Africa. In just 3 years, it has already commissioned 4 schools to help disadvantaged children in some of the most deprived areas of Uganda.

This year’s theme for the rally will be ‘fur ball’, which the teams can interpret however they wish.

Talking about his experience of taking part in the rally, Andy Cooper, a trustee of the Parenta Trust, said: “The idea of driving with my buddy and a group of like minded people down to Monaco on some of the world’s best driving roads was enough to hook me.

“What I didn’t know at the time was what a truly magnificent life changing journey it was going to be.”

To take part, each participating team must buy a ‘banger’ car for around £350 to make the journey through Europe to Monaco, and back again. Each team must also raise £1000 to put towards the build of the Parenta Trust’s next pre-school.

Parenta Trust breaks ground for its third nursery school

Wed, 02 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Parenta Trust has broken ground for the build of its third nursery school in Uganda, which is due to be completed later this year.

Parenta Trust’s second school was built in the Kaberamaido district of Eastern Uganda and completed in July 2015. Thanks to its sponsorship programme, 32 children have now been enrolled in this school.

Like all previous schools funded by the Parenta Trust, the new building will have a rainwater harvesting system to provide children and staff with clean water to drink. Upon its completion, the nursery school will have 3 large classrooms and an accompanying block of latrines.

Allan Presland, MD of Parenta and a trustee of the charity, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to move ahead with this school. I visited this area of Uganda two years ago and was shocked at the level of poverty and how it impacted such young children.

“Within the next 6 months though, we should have our school completed – providing access to pre-school education for around 150 orphaned and disadvantaged children under 5.”

Notes to Editors:

Parenta Trust is the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies. Charity number 115 3051

Trustees of the charity are: Andrew Cooper, Amanda Presland, Debbie Cameron, Allan Presland

Fields of Life gives thanks to the Parenta Trust for 2 nursery schools in Uganda

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Northern Ireland charity Fields of Life has presented Allan Presland, CEO of Parenta and founder of the Parenta Trust, with two certificates to formally recognise the Parenta Trust’s contribution to building two nursery schools in East Africa.

The schools, both built in Uganda, were completed in June 2014 and July 2015 respectively. There are currently 276 children enrolled across both sites, supported by a team of 44 teachers and additional staff.

Parenta Trust, the charitable arm of the childcare training and software company Parenta, has pledged to build 10 of these schools over a ten year period. Work has already begun on the build of the third nursery school in Uganda.

Allan Presland, MD of Parenta and a trustee of the charity, said: “I am very grateful to FoL for acknowledging the work we are doing in Africa. These two nursery schools are the first of ten which we have committed to build over the next few years which will transform the lives of children under 5 in some of the most deprived areas imaginable.”

Notes to Editors:

Parenta Trust is the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies. Charity number 115 3051

Trustees of the charity are: Andrew Cooper, Amanda Presland, Debbie Cameron, Allan Presland

Classrooms in the UK and in Uganda

Thu, 11 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Unlike the UK, Uganda is classed as a Less Economically Developed Country (LEDC), which means that it has low levels of development based on economic indicators. This is evident in that only 3.2% of the country’s public spending was allocated to education in 2013, while in the same year 13.2% was assigned to education in the UK.

Equipment and Resources:

As well as being economically evident, the differences between nursery classrooms in the UK versus Uganda are visually clear, even through the number of students. In the UK the size of nursery classes is often small and divided between rooms and teachers, whereas in Uganda the available space and staff are so meagre that classes are often overfilled. While schools having a large number of students is a very positive step it means that the school’s space and resources can be stretched very thin. In contrast, equipment like books are in abundance in the UK, and more can be brought in with very little difficulty. In Uganda, schools often only receive enough resources for the number of students through generous donations, as the government rarely fund enough to supply whole schools due to lack of available subsidy.

Appearance and Building:

Another difference is the appearance of the classrooms themselves. In the UK, in order to engage and enthuse the children, classrooms are often colourful and decorated with posters and other effective learning aids. While schools funded by Parenta Trust aim to make this a reality in Ugandan classrooms as well, not all schools are quite so fortunate. The differences even run as deeply as the buildings themselves, in that the materials and resources are simply not available in Uganda as they are in the UK to build classrooms to the high quality that would be expected here. The walls are often unpainted and the floors uncovered, which is the opposite of the comfortable, vibrant appearance of classrooms in the UK.

Despite all of this, Ugandan students and teachers simply feel privileged to be able to have access to education at all, no matter how humble their buildings and classrooms seem to us in the UK.

Why you should sponsor a child

Wed, 10 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In daily family life, there are not many guarantees. Often, the very opposite event happens in place of the expected, but for a family with children the one thing that can be counted on is school. At first, for those children and parents newly introduced to the education system, school is an exciting new novelty. Then a few terms go by and it slips into tedium, into the routine, and all of a sudden it is no longer a precious commodity but an enforced chore.

In fortunate countries like our own, schooling is regularly taken for granted, and the advantageousness of the fact that it is obligatory is almost overlooked altogether. In less fortunate countries than this, however, the dream of compulsory education is still far away from becoming reality. In countries like Uganda, as few as 17% of children are not part of youth employment. In many cases disadvantaged families simply do not have the money to pay for their children to go to school, particularly as the majority of Ugandan families have many more children than the UK average.

This is where sponsorship becomes invaluable to the young people of Uganda. Without a sponsor, it is very likely that the child would never have the opportunity of an education, which would severely hinder their prospects in later life. Without sponsorship and without schooling, children would likely be put to work in order to bring in an income for their family which, while it is a short-term help, is not a long-term solution to the enormous issue of poverty in Uganda and similarly underprivileged countries.

Sponsoring a child enables them to strive for more out of life than manual labour, or marrying and starting a family at a very young age. The gift of sponsorship is the gift of education, and this means that these children are able to set bigger and better goals for themselves, such as completing their education, moving on to university, and even getting a well-paying job in the future. Sponsoring a child opens a vast number of doors for them which would be otherwise closed, and kickstarts a real and genuine chance to change a child’s life, and the lives of their families, for the better.

My experience of Uganda

Tue, 09 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

My name is Imogen Cooper and I am the daughter of Parenta Trust Chairman Andrew Cooper. Last year we took a trip to Uganda with the charity to visit some schools and communities, and open the newest build funded by Parenta Trust.

From the moment that I stepped off the plane into the hot, humid air of Uganda, I was struck by the comparative simplicity of the lives of the people around me. Driving down a wide, dusty main road (but certainly not what we’d expect of one) we were flanked on either side by modest huts, crumbling buildings, and stacks of furniture for sale – people’s homes, workplaces, and careers. In the heart of the capital city of Kampala.

It’s hard to truly appreciate everything you have until you are in the presence of people who have nothing at all. It was when we visited the rural communities that I experienced this overwhelming feeling first-hand. The people we met there greeted us with open arms, songs, dances, and even a short play – we were treated like royalty! And when we distributed the clothing donations, the sincere gratitude that could be seen on every face was humbling to behold. I could never have expected to see a Ugandan community in the incredibly genuine, authentic light that I did on this trip.

The defining day of my trip to Uganda was when I had the privilege of meeting Maureen and Robinah, the two young twin girls that my family and I sponsor, and being able to give them some gifts. We met them at their school – Good Shepherd Nursery, funded by Parenta Trust in 2014 – and even the sight of the two of them in their school uniform was a wonderful thing to see. The girls looked happy and healthy, and the knowledge that our sponsorship had a positive influence on their lives was very rewarding for us as a family.

The foremost memory I will keep with me from this indescribable journey is that of the people’s smiles. Since my return I have been asked many times whether it was a very difficult experience for me, and while it was an undeniably emotional one, these emotions were very rarely negative. How could I feel sad for people who were so happy with their lives and what they had? I spent every day of my trip smiling almost uncontrollably because the sheer joy of every person I met seemed to spread into me as well, and will remain with me for a very long time.

Parenta Trust’s second nursery helps Opilitok Primary School become ranked top 10 in the district

Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Last year, representatives from the Parenta Trust travelled to the Kaberamaido district in Eastern Uganda to officially open Opilitok Nursery School.

The project was funded from money raised by the Parenta Trust throughout 2014, from such events as the annual Banger Rally from the Parenta offices in Maidstone, across the Alps, to Monaco.

The pre-school was built on the same site as Opilitok Primary School, which was recently ranked 8th position out of 92 primary schools in the entire district.

Opilitok Nursery School played a vital role in helping local children prepare for their primary school education and makes this transition a lot easier to manage.

Since the primary school’s construction, follow-up monitoring has confirmed that it has had a positive impact on children and parents. The evidence of real change is the community now trusts the school to provide a quality education to its children, as evidenced by the huge demand for places.

The County and District Education Officers have described Opilitok Primary School as a ‘model’ school within this under-resourced rural region.

Taking on a 10km mud run for the Parenta Trust

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

On 3rd October, three brave Parenta employees – Samantha Russell, Lucy Upstill and Natalie MacDonald – stepped forward to take on a mud obstacle run called The Major Series to raise money for the Trust.

The race took place on a 3000 acre private estate which had rolling hills, woodland, boggy trenches and plenty of mud. The day started off chilly, with a roving mist near the start line. Safe to say, Sam, Natalie and Lucy were nervous about taking on such a challenge, but were determined to see it through!

Representatives from British Military Fitness took the warm up and gave some words of encouragement to everyone, before setting off the 11am wave of runners.

Along with hundreds of other participants that day, the girls plunged themselves into freezing cold “stench” trenches, hauled themselves over cargo nets, crawled in mud and made their way to the finish line – one obstacle at a time.

After suffering through nearly 2 hours of running and mud, the girls came face-to-face with one final obstacle: a huge water slide down a steep hill! Seeing fairy liquid aplenty, the girls coated their clothes in a frothy white mass of bubbles before throwing themselves down the slide.

Reaching the end of the race was a relief, and a well earned bowl of porridge was enjoyed by all.

Thanks to their efforts, the girls managed to raise £100 for the Parenta Trust. This money will be put towards building a pre-school in Uganda in 2016, so it was well worth the coldness, fatigue and bruises.

There’s even been talk of the girls taking on similar challenge for the Trust again next year….watch this space!

Parenta Trust Rally raises a huge £13,000!

Thu, 02 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Last month saw eight teams of fundraisers in “banger” cars complete a five day rally across Europe in support of Parenta Trust.

As a result of the fundraising efforts of the rally participants and their supporters, we’re delighted to announce that £13,000 has been raised to build a fourth pre-school in Africa.

This means Parenta Trust, along with our partner Fields of Life, will shortly be able to commission the build of our next school for disadvantaged young children and orphans in Africa.

Our partnership with Fields of Life enables 93p of every pound we raise to be effectively spent on the ground in Uganda, whilst also allowing Parenta Trust to fundraise with no administration costs.

However, for every school we build, we still need to find loving sponsors who will support each child and make a positive impact to their lives. Sponsorship enables a child to have an education, as well as a school uniform, a daily hot meal, and even a present at Christmas!

Parenta Trust Rally raises enough money to build a fourth school in East Africa

Wed, 24 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMT

On June 17, eight teams of fundraisers in “banger” cars started their epic journey across Europe for a five-day, 2,200 mile rally.

It was all in aid of raising money to build a new pre-school in East Africa. The rally, organised by Parenta Trust, saw participants make their way from Maidstone to Monaco in a car bought for £350.

Parenta Trust has committed to build 10 pre-schools in East Africa, and the rally will enable them to build number 4. Each pre-school is designed to support orphans and disadvantaged young children in Africa.

Parenta’s managing director, Allan Presland, who participated in the rally, said:

“Last year, I was privileged to be able to open the first Parenta Trust pre-school at the Good Shepherd School in Luwero, Uganda; housing 150 orphaned and disadvantaged children under five. Since then, we have been able to commission two more schools and the money raised from this year’s rally will enable us to commission our fourth school.”

Mr Presland added: “With the fourth school added, Parenta Trust will be looking after 600 disadvantaged children each year. I am so proud of the Parenta team who have enabled these fantastic schools to become a reality.”

The rally ran from Wednesday, June 17 to Sunday, June 21, with teams undertaking various challenges along the way.

Teams can sign up to take part in next year’s rally, which starts on June 22 at parenta.com/charity and will need to purchase a £350 roadworthy car and raise £1,000 to take part.

Notes to Editors:

Parenta Trust is the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies. Charity number 115 3051

Parenta Trust’s third pre-school to be built in Luwuuka

Wed, 29 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Parenta Trust are excited to announce that an official agreement has been signed to commission the build of a third pre-school. This will take place in Luwuuka, Uganda. The new nursery block will comprise 3 classrooms and is being overseen by Parenta Trust’s partner on the ground, Fields of Life.

Each school will house 150 orphaned and disadvantaged children under five; with volunteers normally sent out to decorate the classrooms before the school opens. It is hoped that Parenta Trust will be able to build 7 more schools with money donated by fundraisers over the coming years – bringing the total number of schools to 10.

Allan Presland, Managing Director of Parenta Group, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that the wheels have been put in motion to build our third pre-school.”

He added: “This pre-school will forever change the lives of the children in Luwuuka, as it means they will be given a basic education from an early age and a chance to better their lives in the future.”

Notes to Editors:

Parenta Trust is the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies. Charity number 115 3051

Trustees of the charity are: Andrew Cooper, Amanda Presland, Debbie Cameron, Allan Presland

Local charity off to a racing start: having a ball with Parenta Trust

Mon, 23 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

A huge number of ‘big name’ charities are part of our everyday life, through their treasure-digging charity shops, their hard-hitting advert appeals and through posted requests (normally requiring us to fill bin bags with clothes that have not seen the light of day since 2002.) Donations for these charities pour in by the thousands each and every day, but how do smaller charities raise money without all this aid, and without the help of the scarily overt street workers that normally beg us to sign up and ‘save the dolphins’? Parenta Trust is one of those charities, whose out-the-box ideas for raising money have not only been a lifetime experience for those involved, but also funded a once in a lifetime change for those it is in aid of.

The 8th November 2014 saw the first Parenta Trust Charity Ball. It was a night full of laughter, swanky dresses and good food, but the real reason for this gathering at the Village Hotel was never forgotten; to raise money to commission Parenta Trust’s third school to be built in Uganda. In 2013, businessman and founder Allan Presland realised the potential of extending Parenta’s (his childcare business) message of “Helping those who care for children” into Africa. His aim entailed the trust building a nursery each year in Eastern Africa for the next ten years… and they’ve gotten off an even better start than anticipated; just two years after forming the charity, with one school finished, the next in progress and the third already commissioned.

The fund-raising began with Parenta Trust’s first big event in June 2013. The “Maidstone to Monaco” rally involved small groups finding cars for up to £350 to get them over Europe, to Monaco and back again. Each team had to raise £1,000, of course, in the name of fundraising. It was a huge success and money raiser for Parenta Trust, but also sparked off an annual event now renowned for the charity. The 2014 ‘Maidstone to Monaco’ was bigger and more successful, starting with fourteen teams and ending with the life-changing sum of £23,000. Every time double takes were given down the Furka Pass as a Furry Volvo, an Audi turned Ghostbusters car, and a zebra-disguised people carrier drove passed, awareness was raised for Parenta Trust. The partakers were spurred on by the trustees who visited Uganda in May of 2014 to witness the opening of the first Parenta Trust pre-school, the ‘Good Shepherd’ School in Luwero, showing that change was truly possible. Chairman of the charity, Andy Cooper, said he “jumped at the chance” of being part of the Maidstone to Monaco rally, but “best of all…we raised enough money to build a school that will help change lives and provide the building blocks for a better future for children in Uganda”.

More than half of Uganda’s population is under the age of 15, and a staggering 96% of these children are vulnerable to abuse in their own households and communities. It is hard to comprehend these facts, but Parenta Trust’s first school has resulted in 140 children under the age of five being put into a happy and safe school environment. It may seem small now, but with the goal of ten schools over ten years, and two of these already in progress, there is hope for the future. When these schools are complete, already 450 Eastern African children will be educated by Parenta Trust. Mr Presland ensures that every school is “providing the opportunity for children under the age of 5 to embrace education at an early age. They will also benefit from a uniform, a daily hot meal, and the knowledge that can change their lives forever”, things that some of these children would have never seen or had in their lifetime. To add to this, every child will receive a mosquito net (with money raised by Product Manager Marie Kershaw in a pub quiz), in hope of bringing down the atrocious 483,000 children under five who died from Malaria in 2012.

Back to the main event, the Charity Ball was another unique way for Parenta Trust to raise money. After the silent auction, the live auction and the raffle, (not to mention to money raising table games and charity pots dotted around) the night raised an amazing £8,000, giving the go ahead for the third Parenta Trust School. The sheer generosity of people shone through local entrepreneur and his newly wed wife presenting the charity with a cheque of £2,000 of their own wedding money, adding to the emotional sense of pride and charitable spirit that filled the room. The evening was spent in good spirits and smiles, yet we were bought to a humble silence when we were shown a video of a young girl named Bridget. Smiling and dancing, we were never expecting the harsh reality of her life story. Fields of Life (partners of Parenta Trust) rescued Bridget from a shrine moments before her tribe were ready to sacrifice her poor, innocent soul. Now, thank you to sponsors, she is part of a Parenta school and has a happy life ahead of her. We were also reminded of the amazing work that the sponsorship of the children has done, such as for three year old Innocence, whose hernia proved life threatening until Parenta Trust funded his treatment. It was quietly obvious after this speech that the room was full of goose bumps and not one dry eye was to be seen.

The work of Parenta Trust has had an overwhelming impact on their cause, as well as exceeding everyone’s aspirations and goals. As Founder Allan Presland perfectly puts it, “my thanks go out to those members of our amazing Parenta team who have helped raise funds for the charity, or who sponsor some of the children at the nursery schools, as well as to local businesses and friends who have done so much to raise funds. I am truly touched that so many people have supported this cause.” With the 2015 rally racking up numbers and Charity Ball number two in plan, we have every hope that Parenta Trust can fulfil their goal of helping hundreds of East-African children and even more.

Parenta Trust Rally participants feature in motoring magazine

Mon, 16 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Paul Saunders and his friend Martin took part in the Maidstone to Monaco rally last year, raising money to help Parenta Trust build a second pre-school for children in Uganda. They completed the 1,100 mile trip through Belgium, Switzerland and France in June 2014.

Their car, an MG affectionately referred to as “Maggie”, and their Parenta Trust Rally adventures have since been featured in the Enjoying MG magazine .

The next Parenta rally is set to run in June this year, with fundraisers expected to raise £1000 per team and buy a car which is £350 or less. You can register your interest here .

Parenta Trust commissions third nursery school in Uganda

Thu, 11 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Parenta Trust, the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies, has commissioned its third nursery in Eastern Africa for orphaned and disadvantaged children.

The charity was set up in 2013 with a view to extend Parenta’s message of “Helping those who care for children” into Africa. It set an ambitious plan to build 10 nursery schools in East Africa within 10 years.

So far though, the trustees have exceeded all expectations, having now commissioned their third nursery this year alone.

The nursery will be built and managed by Fields of Life, Parenta’s partner on the ground in Africa. Fields of Life have constructed over 100 schools in Eastern Africa and have an ambitious plan to continue to build schools and drill fresh water wells throughout the region.

Commenting on the commissioning of its third nursery, Andrew Cooper, Chairman of Parenta Trust said: “Being able to commission our third school during 2014 has far exceeded our hopes and aspirations for assisting pre-school aged children in Eastern Africa, and we are beginning to see a real impact on the ground.”

The third school will accommodate around 150 children under 5. This will bring the total number of pre-school aged children being provided with a quality education through Parenta Trust to 450.

Allan Presland, Founder of Parenta Trust and MD of Parenta Group, paid tribute to those who had contributed to raising the funds: “My thanks go out to those members of our amazing Parenta team who have helped raise funds for the charity, or who sponsor some of the children at the nursery schools, as well as to local businesses and friends who have done so much to raise funds. I am truly touched that so many people have supported this cause.”

Notes to Editors:

Parenta Trust is the charitable arm of the Parenta Group of Companies. Charity number 115 3051

Trustees of the charity are: Andrew Cooper, Amanda Presland, Debbie Cameron, Allan Presland

Making a difference to the lives of Ugandan children

Fri, 14 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Marie Kershaw, our Product Manager, wanted to share her experience of fundraising for the Parenta Trust and explain why her trip to Uganda was truly unforgettable.

Last year, as we were celebrating the start of our very first Parenta Trust Pre-school build in Uganda, I found out that in 2012 alone malaria was responsible for an estimated 627,000 deaths around the world. Sadly, 483,000 of those deaths were in African children under 5 years of age.

Knowing that mosquito nets can help prevent the spread of malaria, and at a cost of just £5 cost per net, I wanted to help. I held a quiz night at Lordswood Leisure Centre to raise money and it was a fantastic evening. I was truly touched by how many people came to support my cause. Together, we raised enough money for a mosquito net for every single child due to start at our new pre-school – all 120 of them!

I have just received the picture above of these being given out, and wanted to share this, as well as my amazing experience with you all.

I travelled to Uganda in May, with my colleagues from Parenta. I wanted to meet the local people, understand more about their culture and their lives, and finally help give a lick of paint and open our first new pre-school.

I have stared at this page for the last 10 minutes and still do not think I can do justice to all I saw and learnt on this trip. Almost all the children we met live in huts or completely unsuitable glorified sheds. Some children wear clothes which have so many holes, it is hard to tell if their arms and legs are in the right ones!

Only the children who are sponsored at school get a small amount of stew to eat for food during the day, whereas the rest get something which looks like wallpaper paste (this is actually wheat/oat paste). Those that are lucky enough are squeezed into little classrooms, and would have walked for miles to simply attend school.

We visited many pre-schools, slums and what they called “housing”; one where a family of 13 shared one room, and the village’s sanitary system ran around the house as a little moat. Unfortunately, this was not abnormal.

The word “poor” to describe how the people I met physically lived is an understatement, however, the most cherished fact I took away with me was they live with an abundance of love. I really feel you need to understand this – forget the sad faces you see on television – every single child I met was bursting with happiness. They were delighted to be sharing their day with possibly the first white person they had ever met, their “mzungu”. All of the children we met wanted a little of your attention, to communicate with you or to play games. I heard many harrowing stories whilst I was there, saw indescribable living conditions, and none of this should be ignored or forgotten. But it was the children’s sheer unadulterated joy at their new pre-school that brought me to tears.

The Parenta Trust have held many fund raising events this year, from banger rallies across Europe , Evening Balls, to triathlons covering the distance from Parenta offices to Paris, and cake sales. I haven’t given this trip a fraction of the merit it truly deserves, but I will be going back in February, and perhaps that shows how much I loved it out there! And the best thing? I will be helping once again to open our second pre-school whilst I am there. We are also over half way to having enough money to commission our third build!

I have put a few pictures below of the beautiful people I met on my trip for you to see. The mosquito nets we gave to the children will help save lives, and every single one of those children and their families are truly grateful.

Parenta to Paris: the team triathlon!

Wed, 01 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

On Thursday 18th September, the customer service team at Parenta took on a challenge of epic proportions: they ran, rowed and cycled 240 miles. This is the distance from Maidstone to Paris!

The Parenta to Paris team was made up of Luke Francis, Emma Reeves, Tommy Dellar, Amy Johnson and Richelle Sparks. The money they raised was for the Parenta Trust charity, to help build pre-schools in deprived areas of Eastern Africa.

A gym was set up in the office at the start of the challenge, complete with a treadmill, rowing machine and a bike. The team of five started their triathlon at 9am on Thursday morning, running the equivalent distance to Dover, rowing across the Channel and then hopping on the bike to ride the distance to Paris.

Before the day got underway, team leader Luke Francis said, “One of us will be sweating on the machine, while the others cover the phones. We’ll keep swapping until we’ve done all 240 miles.”

Everyone in the office lent their support with a special menu of English and French food being served for the day to raise extra money, as well as a £1 sweepstake to guess the team’s final completion time.

The team worked hard through the night and managed to finish in 23 hours 12 minutes. Despite the lack of sleep and very sore legs, Parenta to Paris raised a total of £531.75p.

Allan Presland, Managing Director of Parenta, said: “I am absolutely delighted with the effort put into fundraising by the customer service team. Completing a triathlon of this scale is difficult even for seasoned athletes, but the team managed to do this whilst balancing their everyday workload, too!”

He added: “I am very proud of the team. The money raised will be put towards building a new pre-school in Uganda next year.”

Proceeds of new book to be donated to the Parenta Trust

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT

“Thinking Profit: The Journey” is an autobiography about how to grow a company under a difficult economical climate from Peter Boulton, Managing Director of plastics manufacturer Sinclair & Rush. The businessman has kindly pledged that all proceeds from the book will be donated to the Parenta Trust to help build pre-schools for children in east Africa.

In his book, Peter takes a down to earth approach to sharing management techniques which have helped him succeed in business and provides a real case study in the form of the company he runs. He provides useful insights for readers who want to learn from his journey.

Peter details: the importance of the Mission Statement; the concept of ‘Why’; the 3 Step Process; his Eleven Elements; and a crucial Seven Step Marketing Plan.

“Thinking Profit: The Journey” is now available to buy on Amazon for £9.95.

It’s official! Our second pre-school in Uganda has been commissioned!

Thu, 21 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

We are very pleased to share the news that we have now signed a contract with our charity on the ground, Fields of Life, to commission the build of our second pre-school in Uganda. This is the result of a staggering £23,000 raised, thanks to the efforts of the participants in this year’s Parenta Trust Rally.

Raising this incredible amount of money is a real testament to all the fundraisers, whose tenacity to support this worthy cause saw them organising cake bakes, taking part in quiz nights, running marathons and signing up to our infamous 5 day banger rally.

The nursery itself will be built at Opilitok Primary School in an area called Kaberamaido, in Northern Uganda. The primary school which currently exists there was constructed in 2006 and provides a quality education for 800 pupils.

Once completed, this second pre-school will be able to provide for 150 children under 5. We are also aiming to have every child who attends our pre-school sponsored by someone back in the UK. Giving just £17 per month allows each child to have a uniform and books, two meals a day and of course, an education.

Allan Presland, Managing Director of Parenta, said: “Whilst there is still a lot of work to do to fulfil our commitment to build 10 of these pre-schools over a decade, we are delighted with the progress we have made together so far and would like to say a huge thank you and well done to everyone who has supported our journey.”

Parenta to Paris: the team triathlon!

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Our very own Customer Service team have taken on a challenge of epic proportions!

On 18 September , they will attempt to run, row and cycle the distance from the Parenta office to Paris – that’s 240 miles!

The team will be setting up gym equipment in the office and taking it in turns to tackle the journey.

The plan is to run to Dover, hop on the rowing machine over to Calais, where the bike will be waiting for them to cover the rest of the distance to Paris.

Team leader Luke Francis said, “One of us will be sweating on the machine, while the others cover the phones. We’ll keep swapping until we’ve done all 240 miles. I anticipate it taking about 30 hours”.

The Parenta to Paris team is made up of Luke, Emma, Tommy and Richelle and they will be giving the money they raise to the Parenta Trust, where it will be put towards a third pre-school in Africa.

Training has already begun, and the team are already balancing this with their everyday workload!

Check out their Just Giving page , where every donation will be gratefully received making the event that little bit less painful knowing that it is all going to a good cause!

Parenta Trust opens first pre-school in Africa!

Mon, 09 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

After a great fundraising effort last year, we are delighted to announce that we have finished building our first pre-school for underprivileged children in Uganda!

In late May, five representatives from Parenta Trust set off to Uganda to officially open the pre-school, which, with its three classrooms, will educate 140 children at any one time.

We spent the first few days visiting a range of schools. There were no shortage of heartbreaking stories as we were faced with extreme poverty in a country still struggling to recover from years of oppression, war and widespread genocide.

Truly striking, however, was the number of inspirational people we met, from charity workers and community leaders, to head teachers and children. Despite the pain, they were responsible for bringing a wealth of happiness.

We were excited at the prospect of seeing the pre-school at Good Shepherd in Luwero for the first time. As we drove through the gates, our bus was greeted by 140 pre-school aged children pouring down the hill. Stepping off into the sea of toddlers was overwhelming, as they quickly attached themselves to us. Each one of our group had a child clinging to every finger and more holding onto our shirts and bags. The noise was intense, as they dragged us up the hill to their new pre-school.

Having been nervous at how the finished facility would look, we were delighted to see that Fields of Life (the charity that delivered the work for us on the ground), had done a fantastic job! The building was beautifully finished, with its bright, fresh paint cheerfully welcoming the children, as if reflecting their smiles.

We were shown the new purpose built latrines before being pulled into the first classroom. The noise was stunning as the children jumped, waved and cheered around us. Difficult as it was, we had to send the children off for a little while so we could put the finishing touches to the rooms.

We spent several hours decorating. We painted rainbows and butterflies on the walls, put up posters, hung bunting and set out the books and toys we’d collected from generous donors in the UK. Our proudest addition was the painting of the tree of life, which was created by bringing in each child one by one, and using their painted hands to form the leaves.

Later in the afternoon, the children, PTA members and some local parents joined us for the opening. Joseph, the head teacher, gave a speech in which he emphasised the importance of education in such a poor community. Then Allan Presland, Managing Director of Parenta Group, who climbed Mount Elgon, Uganda’s highest mountain, last year to raise funds for the pre-school, addressed the villagers to thank them for their hospitality and to give some words of encouragement to the children.

It was a tearful moment as we walked back up to the hill and to unveil the plaque for the official opening; the culmination of so much hard work by people in both Uganda and at home and just the beginning for generations of children who will benefit from formal education.

Allan said, “A relatively small sacrifice for us will have an astounding impact on pre-school aged children. Not only will they be taught important academic subjects, but they’ll learn things that will make them healthier and safer throughout their lives. I’m proud of our achievement and we are already planning on our next nursery in Eastern Africa!”

Joyful as we all were though, it was hard not to be reminded that this was just a drop in the ocean. There are so many more pre-schools needed across the continent and the children all need sponsorship to get their education.

We returned on 4 June, humbled, inspired and ready to build the next one!

Parenta Trust would like to give heartfelt thanks to all those who gave their time and donations to make this project possible.

Parenta Trust to open first Ugandan pre-school this month!

Thu, 29 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

On 29 May, we are going out to open Parenta Trust’s first pre-school in Uganda! It’s the result of lots of hard work fundraising, much of which came from our Maidstone to Monaco banger rally last year ( we’re going again this year, if you’re interested! ).

As you can imagine, the children who will be attending the school do not have the same access to clothes and equipment as we do in the UK, so we’re hoping you can help!

Do you have any old equipment or clothes?

We’d love to go bearing gifts, so please do let us know if you have any of the following that you no longer require:

Clothing
Sports equipment
Educational posters
Art supplies (like those little foam letters that children can paint and stamp)
Any other suitable equipment for under-5’s

Obviously, we’ll be taking it as luggage so the lighter the better!

Email marketing@parenta.com , and we can pass on the address to send it to.

Raising money to buy mosquito nets for children in Uganda

Fri, 09 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The countdown has begun! In just under three weeks’ time we will be inviting friends and colleagues on a five day trip to Uganda to visit several school projects and officially open a new preschool.

As part of the visit, our very own Marie Kershaw, Product Manager, has pledged to raise £600 to buy 120 mosquito nets for the children who will attend our school.

Marie’s efforts so far have included:

– 3 cake bake sales (£141 raised)

– Organising a quiz night on 18th May

– Collecting donations for raffle prizes

– “Guess a Football Team”, winner receives 10% of total prize money – (£50 raised so far)

In Uganda, malaria kills 350 children every day. It is spread by the bite of female mosquitoes, particularly during night time. Children under 5 are more vulnerable and likely to die from contracting the virus as their bodies are not strong enough to combat it.

Malaria is treatable if the child is given access to immediate medical care, but sadly due to the remote nature of many parts of Africa and high cost of medicine for many families; children are often unable to access life saving treatment. Therefore, sleeping under mosquito nets goes hand in hand with preventing the spread of the virus.

At just £5 each, the cost of buying a mosquito net could mean the difference between life and death for a Ugandan child.

If you would like to contact Marie to pledge money or to donate an item for the raffle, please email marie.kershaw@parenta.com .

Parenta Trust – our first year achievements!

Thu, 13 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Our trust is one year old next month, so I wanted to update you on what we’ve been up to, how we’ve been fundraising and what we’ve done with the money raised.

What we’ve achieved in our first year!

Last year’s Maidstone to Monaco rally was a huge success. We raised a fantastic £15,000, which has enabled us to start work on our first pre-school! Amanda Presland went to Uganda with Debbie Cameron and David Philpot, two representatives from our partner, Fields of Life , to break ground. You can read about Amanda’s trip here .

The project is about six weeks from completion and I’m so excited to see how the finished building starts to change lives! It’s based in an area called Luwero, which was once known as Uganda’s killing fields. Housed within the grounds of the Good Shepherd primary School, the kindergarten will provide pre-school education for around 120 orphans and deprived children in the area.

What’s the aim for this year?

Our work in Africa is only just starting and we’ve set ourselves two big challenges for our second year.

Firstly, we want to get sponsorship for every one of the 117 children at the pre-school. Sponsorship costs just £17 per month and provides the children not only with their all-important education, but also with two meals a day and clothing.
Our second challenge, is to raise enough money to build a second pre-school.

How we’ll be raising money this year – and how you can join us!

Maidstone to Monaco – The Return, takes place from 25 – 29 June 2014. We’d love for you to join us!

If you took part last year,or you’re thinking about entering this time, you’ll enjoy reading Andy’s story of the trip – Andy and the furry Volvo take on Europe!

We’ll also be inviting friends, colleagues and supporters on a five day trip to Uganda on the 29th May 2014. The aim is to visit several school projects and officially open the new nursery, raising awareness of the charity and work we’re doing. If you’d like to find out more about Uganda, or the work of Parenta Trust, or our partners on the ground, Fields of Life, please do enquire here for more information. R ead about Debbie’s visit to Uganda last year .

To take part in Maidstone to Monaco, sponsor a child or offer other support to the Parenta Trust just reply to this email or register an interest on our website . We’d love to hear from you!

Finally, I’d like to personally thank everyone who was involved in our fundraising events so far; as you can see here, your efforts really are making a difference!

Parenta Trust: Andy and the furry Volvo

Tue, 11 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Rallying to raise money!

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When I was invited to take part in the inaugural Maidstone to Monaco run in September 2013, I jumped at the chance, just knowing that it was going to be a fantastic adventure. If I am honest, the true purpose of the trip didn’t really factor in that decision; the idea of driving with my buddy and a group of like minded people down to Monaco on some of the world’s best driving roads was enough to hook me. What I didn’t know at the time was what a truly magnificent life changing journey it was going to be.

So, the challenge was to put a team together (in my case it was just me and my pal Andy), buy a car for around £400 and get it to Monaco and with luck, back too, whilst raising £1,000 per team to build a pre-school in Uganda. Easy, or so I thought!

The fun began weeks before, searching the usual internet sites for suitable cars. After looking at everything from old ice cream vans to “classic” Mercedes with stellar miles, Lady Luck smiled on us and eBay came up trumps with a 1997 Volvo T5 that had previously been used for a similar charity run and was already festooned in, of all things teddy bear fur! Team Andy and the Furry Volvo were born and, after a little fettling, were ready to take on the world!

As it transpired, raising the £1,000 sponsorship turned out to be easier than we imagined. Once word got out of what we were doing, I was overwhelmed by the support and generosity of friends, family and work colleagues and even before we set off, the cash was in the bank.

The real trip began on a sunny Wednesday morning. Meeting at the Parenta premises in Maidstone, we signed away our lives and shook hands with the other mad players, some of which had gone to the effort to dress up in garb to match their cars. In additional to the Furry Volvo there was a motley collection of a dozen cars that included Batman and Robin in the Bat Mobile, The A Team in a suitably festooned van and characters from Grease in a very un-Grease like Vauxhall Vectra!

First stop Dover and a ferry to the continent. No casualties so far!

The first day was a 360 mile blast through France, Belgium and Luxembourg, a quick skirt into Germany and on to our first stop at a campsite back in France. Little did we know this was going to be the only day on fast roads, just to get us far enough south for the real fun to start the following day. One broken exhaust, one speeding ticket and one customs search…not bad for a first day. That first night we pitched tents in the dark and as the cars dribbled in, beers and wine were consumed (in moderation of course!) and great friendships were born.

Day 2 started early with the sun shining (it stayed that way for the rest of the trip) and spirits were high. Less miles to travel that day just 290, but the roads became more “interesting”. From France we entered Germany (again), through the Black Forest then into Switzerland and the Alps. That second day was a long climb up and we conquered the legendary Furka pass. If Hannibal and his elephants could do it, there was no way we would fail! That road in itself was the driving highlight for me and was worth all the effort alone. The best however was yet to come.

Day 3 we travelled back into France along winding mountain roads and found time to stop for lunch at Chamonix and an unplanned cable car ride to the summit of Mont Blanc. Tired and high on emotion, it genuinely felt like we were on top of the world in every sense. Vin blanc on Mont Blanc and we were on our way again through the famous Mont Blanc tunnel and into Italy, before driving back into France for a slap up camp site gastronomic delight; by this time we were all tired of dining on tinned gruel and pushed the boat out, some of the more well prepared amongst us even found champagne to quaff!

Day 4 was a final push through the Alps heading down to Digne and into Monaco. I don’t mind admitting that as we entered the principality in cars that couldn’t have been more different to the Bugattis, Ferraris and Bentleys, I might have choked back an emotional tear. We had all made it and even managed to take in part of the famous grand prix circuit in our trusty old bangers. That night we celebrated in style, feeling like the kings and queens that for that moment we were.

Final day was an 800 mile toe down slog back along French motorways aiming to get a ferry back to Blighty sometime that night. With 600 miles to go the Furry Volvo decided to play hardball and sprang an oil leak. That’s when the friendships and camaraderie built up over the previous days really showed and pulling together we all made it back to Calais in time to catch the last ferry home. Arriving at Calais and knowing that we had prevailed despite all the odds, we were all winners. Just look at the smiles, they tell the whole story.

And best of all, let’s not forget the real reason behind the trip, we raised enough money to build a school that will help change lives and provide the building blocks for a better future for children in Uganda

Since that last trip I have been privileged to join the board of Parenta Trust. We will be running a second Maidstone to Monaco rally in 2014, so if you want to come along for a trip of a lifetime and help change the lives of children in East Africa, then sign up now. I promise you won’t regret it!

Breaking ground on the Parenta Trust’s first preschool

Tue, 11 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Amanda Presland, a trustee of the Parenta Trust, went out to break ground on our first preschool in Uganda. She told us about her time there.

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It’s not often you get the chance to put something discussed over a glass or two into practice.

I‘d been invited to join a four day fact-finding tour to Uganda in October 2013 – partly to get a feel for what is really needed out there, but mainly to visit the site of the first Parenta nursery.

Can you imagine arriving at a primary school after a tiring drive and, as you pull into the grounds, hearing the roar of around 500 children, unbelievably excited that you are there to visit them? We were now in Loweru, at Good Shepard primary school. A school unlike any I’d seen before – and this was one of the good ones.

The Headmaster, Joseph, allowed all the pupils to greet us, so the 9 of us were swamped by children of all ages. They were all dressed in their bright yellow uniforms – some with shoes, some without – and running towards us. It was awesome, and very emotional.

Joseph proudly introduced himself and his teaching staff, while the children, who were just staring at us, staying well behaved and quiet. We were then guided to the area designated for the preschool. By now, I had a small, happy, grinning child on each of my fingers, holding tight and not letting go!

The under 4’s were currently being taught in the ruins of a building. There was just cement on the floor, no windows or covering. Breaking ground there was symbolic of the change we can make in the future of the children and the local community.

I loved this visit. Obviously, as a trustee of this charity, it felt fantastic to finally break ground, knowing we’d be creating a safer, kinder environment for these children to start their educational journey. It’s so important to them and their families, and that’s one of the lessons I learnt on the trip.

We took loads of photographs and I also have a video of all the small children behind me as they were encouraged to shout my name. I will always treasure that.

I would love to capture the excitement of that day to pass on to people who haven’t been there. The other days on that trip were amazing but, seeing the school, seeing those open happy faces and seeing the start of our preschool, will always stay with me.

There were many notices in the Heads office, but one stood out for me:

“If you think education is expensive, just try ignorance!”

How and why The Parenta Trust was born

Tue, 11 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The Parenta Trust has partnered with Fields of Life, an organisation on the ground in Africa. Debbie Cameron, Head of Development & Fundraising (GB) for Fields of Life, tells us about her experiences with the charity and how and why The Parenta Trust was born.

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I was first introduced to Fields of Life in the summer of 2012, when I joined a group of business leaders from Kent on a fact finding visit to a number of Fields of Life (FOL) projects throughout Uganda. FOL has been building schools and digging fresh water wells in post-conflict East Africa for the past 20 years. Our aim is simply to bring about positive change through the provision of quality education, clean water, health promotion and other community based projects to help relieve poverty. We are currently involved in projects in a number of countries including Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

Having spent time hitch-hiking through Africa, I thought that I was prepared for the experiences that lay ahead of me, that my earlier travels would have set me in good stead to face the challenges of life in Uganda… and, naively, I boldly marched straight in on the first day to Pastor Deo’s school in the slums of Kampala armed with nothing more than a big smile, but I was bowled over by the response that we received. In our group was a mixture of different businesses: Parenta, CFA, Southern Water, Oasis, Family Business Place, Amelix, together with a heating engineer, a pharmacy assistant and myself. We all went out as strangers with one common goal and, over our short visit, formed a bond with the shared objective to make a real difference to the lives of the people we met. It was during this first morning that Parenta Trust was born.

The children couldn’t wait to show off their school. Their pride was immense and you could see that the money being raised was making a huge different to so many families. It was an incredibly humbling experience. Education next to water is the most vital gift, and the children all felt blessed to be given the opportunity to learn and eventually help raise their families out of poverty.

Our next day we were up early on a bus heading north to a village called Acede where FOL were drilling a well. We travelled for hours in our small bus, and sometime after lunch we arrived to the most amazing welcoming committee. We were greeted by the elders and chief of the village. They gave us refreshments, welcomed us into their homes and told us the story of their village… and none of us were prepared for the tale that unfolded in front of us; how the so called Lords Resistance Army had arrived one night and scarred this small community for life. Rounding up the young – the boys fate was one of transformation into the newest recruits of this bloody army and the girls as sex slaves for the soldiers. Setting fire to huts and carving their way through anyone who dared to stand in their way. One man I met was 82yrs old and he had witness horrors that are unimaginable, yet he had an inspirational spirit for life. The children were beautiful, but had so little. Before leaving the UK we had all been collecting useful treasures to take with us as gifts for our hosts and for the villagers at Acede it was children’s clothes… I had collected items from various friends and family the weeks before leaving and between us we handed out hundreds of items. The Chief of the village presented us with a letter of appreciation setting out how the well will make a difference to their lives. Every one of us on was touched by the generosity and love that we experienced on this day, by this tiny remote village.

The Fields of Life was established when Reverend Trevor Stevenson initiated an agricultural project, which involved buying and setting up a 110 acre farm, 16 km from Kampala, in an area once known as The Killing Fields. Two years later, at the request of local villagers, the Fields of Life built their first school building, close to the farm. Since then, school building has become a major part of our work. Through this work, 45,000 children receive an education and learn basic skills, encouraging them to take on income generating projects. In January of this year I was invited to head up a new FOL initiative in GB and look forward to introducing the wonders of East Africa to as many people as possible and to build upon some of the exciting projects that were created as a result of my first trip… Amelix Telecom’s Save More Than Money, Family Business Place Well Good Campaign and of course the sensational Parenta Trust Maidstone to Monaco Banger Rally.

Those sparks of inspiration have continued to blossom, as do the children that many of us sponsor. Just £17 per month provides an Education, two meals everyday and a school uniform, books and a real chance in life.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you feel inspired to get involved. We are hosting a Fact Find Trip on 29thMay to visit the first Parenta Trust funded nursery school. Or maybe you’d like to join us on the drive to build our second nursery school on this year’s Banger Rally to Monaco on 25th June. Or maybe perhaps you have some ideas of your own!

The Banger Rally is back!

Mon, 10 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

You may have heard the stories from last year. You may have seen the photos. You may even have been there. After the success of the Maidstone to Monaco rally last year , we’re pleased to announce the dates for 2014.

This year’s event will follow a similar format, but we will be altering it a little bit to keep things interesting.

It is taking place on 25 – 29 June 2014. We’ll be departing from Maidstone at 8am and heading down to Dover to catch the ferry. We’ll work our way down through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, eventually arriving in Monte Carlo. We’ll be camping on the way down (although you’re welcome to book hotels if you prefer).

So what do you need to do?

Register your interest on our website
Find a banger for about £350
Raise £1000 sponsorship

Our aim

Last year’s event raised enough to build our first preschool in Uganda. Our aim is to raise enough to build another!

parentatrust

Changing Children’s Lives: Parenta Trust Opens Its 6th Pre-School In Eastern Africa

Over 230 additional children to receive an early years education in Rwanda each year

About The Parenta Trust

About The Parenta Group Of Companies

Parenta Trust Expands its Footprint to Rwanda

Sixth School Commissioned for 200 Orphaned and Disadvantaged Nursery-aged Children

Parenta Trust prepares to rev up its engines for its annual adventure to Monaco

Parenta Trust is gearing up for its annual fundraising car rally from Maidstone to Monaco and is calling for teams to take part in a “road trip of a lifetime”.

From Maidstone to Monaco – the Parenta Trust rally teams return triumphant!

PRESS RELEASE!

Early Years Education Charity calls for participants for ‘road trip of a lifetime’

Donate to our charity as you shop!

Update on fundraising for schools!

School build is almost complete!

On the home straight for school number 6

Fundraising for school number 7

From Maidstone to Monaco - Register now for a road trip of a lifetime!

Charity Balls!

For the first time in our five-year history, we hosted two very successful black-tie charity balls in the same year.

Parenta Trust Rally teams return from road trip of a lifetime

Cows donated to Parenta Trust nursery in Uganda are thriving

Popular charity quiz raises over £800 for the Trust

Parenta Trust gears up to build its fifth pre-school in Uganda

Cows donated to help Parenta Trust school in Uganda

Why sponsor a child with the Parenta Trust?

Annual charity quiz is a resounding success

5 great reasons to sign up to the Parenta Trust Rally today

Parenta Trust funds Christmas party for 1000 orphans

Hats off for the Parenta Trust’s fifth pre-school

Parenta Trust’s third and fourth pre-schools are now open!

Parenta Trust prepares to unveil 2 new pre-schools in Uganda

Preparing for the trip of a lifetime

7 reasons to support the work of the Parenta Trust

Parenta Trust’s third and fourth nurseries are now in build!

Fundraising for the Trust so far

What difference does sponsorship make to the life of a child?

Exciting news: Fourth school has been commissioned!

The countdown begins for the annual Parenta Trust banger rally!

Parenta Trust breaks ground for its third nursery school

Fields of Life gives thanks to the Parenta Trust for 2 nursery schools in Uganda

Classrooms in the UK and in Uganda

Why you should sponsor a child

My experience of Uganda

Parenta Trust’s second nursery helps Opilitok Primary School become ranked top 10 in the district

Taking on a 10km mud run for the Parenta Trust

Parenta Trust Rally raises a huge £13,000!

Parenta Trust Rally raises enough money to build a fourth school in East Africa

Parenta Trust’s third pre-school to be built in Luwuuka

Local charity off to a racing start: having a ball with Parenta Trust

Parenta Trust Rally participants feature in motoring magazine

Parenta Trust commissions third nursery school in Uganda

Making a difference to the lives of Ugandan children

Parenta to Paris: the team triathlon!

Proceeds of new book to be donated to the Parenta Trust

It’s official! Our second pre-school in Uganda has been commissioned!

Parenta to Paris: the team triathlon!

Parenta Trust opens first pre-school in Africa!

Parenta Trust to open first Ugandan pre-school this month!

Raising money to buy mosquito nets for children in Uganda

Parenta Trust – our first year achievements!

Parenta Trust: Andy and the furry Volvo

Rallying to raise money!

Breaking ground on the Parenta Trust’s first preschool

How and why The Parenta Trust was born

The Banger Rally is back!

Sixth School Commissioned for 200 Orphaned and Disadvantaged
Nursery-aged Children