21 Years of Adult Expeditions!
On the 21st of July 2024, Vine Trust celebrated the 21st anniversary of the first adult volunteer team’s expedition to Peru. This pioneering group of 30 volunteers, comprising individuals connected to Vine Trust through Bo’ness Old Parish Church, Barclay Church and other networks, embarked on a journey that would lay the foundation for our expedition programmes.
The first week of the trip, from 21st to 28th July 2003, saw the…
In Memory of Dr Julia McLean
We are deeply saddened to inform our volunteers and supporters of the heart-breaking news that Vine Trust Board member, Dr. Julia McLean, was involved in a fatal accident on the River Spey on Friday 31st May.
Before joining the Vine Trust Board and Medical Committee earlier this year, Julia was already a much-loved, admired, and valued volunteer both in the UK and in Tanzania, participating in several expeditions to support…
Vine Trust 2024 Global Citizenship Conference Recap
On Saturday, 25th May, Vine Trust held its Global Citizenship conference to celebrate the impact of volunteering on its partnership programmes in Peru and Tanzania, the communities these programmes serve, and the many thousands of international and national volunteers who have participated in the work.
The conference featured presentations from our visiting guest speakers from both countries. In the morning, Roman Rodriguez (National Director) and Frank Guardia (Volunteer Coordinator) shared…
Delivery of School Kits in the Amazon
Thanks to an alliance with Peruvian NGO, the OLI Foundation, the Amazon Hope Medical Programme recently supported a campaign to deliver much-needed school kits.
The OLI Foundation financed the kits and the shipping cost from Lima to Iquitos. The Amazon Hope Medical Programme transported the kits on the Forth Hope medical ship, delivering them to the children and young people in their schools. 200 kits were delivered to 6 schools in 5 communities on the…
Hope Reaches The Borders
Poverty and exclusion in Peru are very big problems. These situations are worse in rural areas, even more so in the Amazon (accessible only by river) and greater still in border areas (the furthest from the capitals and basic services). Thus, the Amazonian communities on the borders are among the poorest and most excluded that exist.
Among these communities are Alanza Cristiana - Andoas and Santa Rosa. The Andoas district…
Kiltwalk 2024
* RAISE FUNDS FOR VINE TRUST - KILTWALK 2024 *
Scotland’s Kiltwalk in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee.
We would like to invite the Vine Trust community to come together again to raise funds to support our work with partners and their communities in Peru and Tanzania.
Can you help us reach our target of raising £30,000 for the work of Vine Trust by taking part?
You can find out…
Message from Willie
To all our Volunteers, Supporters, Donors and Friends.
Please see the following message from Willie.
NEW SHIP FOR TANZANIA!
We are delighted to announce that a new ship will be joining the Jubilee Hope Medical Programme to expand the reach of services to remote island communities on Lake Victoria, Tanzania.
This new ship, the MV Lady Jean, will complement the work of MV Jubilee Hope, playing a key role the roll out of anti-retroviral HIV medications to island communities in great need of this new service.
With significant support…
Community Health Agents and Holistic Medical Care in the Amazon
In the fifth of his blog posts on the Amazon Hope Medical Programme's mental health component, Programme Director Román Rodriguez talks about the concept of Community Health Agents and how they can support the physical and mental well-being of those living in isolated and vulnerable communities.
For decades, the Ministry of Health of Peru implemented a great idea to promote health in the country’s most remote communities: train some members…
Board Announcement
The Vine Trust Board wishes to advise our supporters that after more than 20 years at the helm, Rev. Willie McPherson will be stepping down from his role as CEO of Vine Trust.
Willie has been inspirational and unwavering in his passion to help some of the poorest and forgotten people in the world with the love of Christ in a very practical way.
During his tenure, we have worked…
Kazunzu: A Place-Based Approach
Kazunzu comes from the Zinza tribal language and means a promontory. It is an apt name for the piece of land that juts out into Lake Victoria, a cape around 20 km west of Mwanza, Tanzania that is in the process of becoming a self-sustainable ‘Village of Hope’ for around 40 families.
Those who have been aboard Jubilee Hope or visited the islands of Lake Victoria will be aware of…
Dr. Claire Bawn Appointed New Chair of Vine Trust
At the board meeting in June, Dr. Claire Bawn was appointed as the new Chair of Vine Trust.
Dr. Claire Bawn is a General Practitioner who has been involved with the work of Vine Trust since 2011. Formerly a medical practice partner, she now divides her time between locum work across Scotland and volunteering with Vine Trust.
Claire has served on the medical committee since 2015 and has been a trustee since…