September Newsletter
Why do we need a Health Fund?
We’ve launched a fund to support Order members anywhere in the world in health hardship
With free health services struggling to cope with demand in some countries, and limited or unavailable in others, the Abhayaratna Trust has launched an Order Health Fund.
This Fund will be available to Order members worldwide when an acute or chronic health difficulty arises that needs funding, where the Order member has access to less than £10,000 or US dollars/Euros 12,000, and other funding is not available.
For example, you need a cancer operation and in your country the state will only pay some of the cost, or an accident leaves you unable to walk for months so you cant do your job but no sick pay exists where you live, or you need a course of physical therapy because your back has given out and you’re in a lot of pain; or you need to pay for counselling following a bereavement because the free counselling waiting list is six months long.
These are real examples of past Abhayaratna Trust support for Order members. However, judging by the increase in requests to Abhayaratna Trust for health and wellbeing grants in recent years, and the Order’s ageing demographic, this Order Health Fund will be a vital and much called upon resource.
Our initial annual Fund target is £25,000 (US dollars/euros aprox 29,000). We can reach this target readily if at least 250 members of the Order and those who care about the Order, contribute something each month, a bit like a national health insurance contribution. So that collectively and effectively we can support the health and wellbeing of Order members throughout the world who have insufficient means to pay for an urgent or chronic, physical or mental health difficulty when the need arises.
Already 71 Order members have pledged their support. Please join them, by contributing between 1% and 2% of your monthly income – typically £5-25, or 6-29 euros/US dollars, into this Fund.
Sign up today by using this link
Or, if you bank outside the UK, please click this link and choose Order Health Fund from the PayPal drop down menu.
Or email Jinavamsa@abhayaratnatrust.org for other ways to contribute.
You never know when you might need this sort of help, and meantime you will be supporting Order members who are in health hardship today.
Share this news on Facebook or email your friends.
Rupacitta needs our help
Dear friends
Rupachitta needs our help. She is 65, was ordained more than 30 years ago and lives by herself on the Isle of Lewis in the Scottish Hebrides.
You might well know Rupachitta from the 1990s and 2000s, when she was very active around Glasgow, Croydon, Norwich and Cambridge, working full time for the Movement for 20 years in team based right livelihood, teaching at centres and leading retreats at Taraloka and in Sweden.
As with many who dedicated their working lives to the Movement, Rupachitta has not been able to save for her retirement and lives close to the bone.
She’s an artist and a retired teacher but takes work as a supply teacher on the Island when it’s available, and has had some limited success with Airbnb, hampered by Covid.
Rupachitta is almost entirely dependent on a car to get around for supply work and shopping or meeting friends - the nearest corner shop is 8 miles away. Now her secondhand car has died and at the same time, her chimney has needed considerable repairs.
The Abhayaratna Trust, aware of her financial vulnerability, is appealing to the Order to raise £5500 (6,400 US dollars/euros) between us, to enable her to buy a secondhand car and pay for the chimney repairs.
Please contribute today any amount you can, by clicking on this secure ethical bank link.
Or if you bank outside the UK, please click this link or email Jinavamsa@abhayaratnatrust.org for direct bank transfer details.
Or you can send a UK cheque made out to The Abhayaratna Trust and post it to Jinavamsa, Flat 0/3, 37 Amisfield Street, Glasgow, G20 8LB with ‘Rupachitta’ written on the back.
Thank you. And please do pass on this appeal message to others who might know Rupachitta or wish to help.
We’ll let you know how the appeal goes.
With metta
Satyapada, Danabhadri, Animisha and Muditashuri - Rupachitta’s chapter
Bringing us together
Thank you to everyone who donated to our Convention Bursary Fund. We made 21 bursaries available and 18 people were able to take these up. As one of those 18 told us before the convention:
‘I am very grateful to receive the bursary. Finances have been very tight especially since lockdown and my income was somewhat reduced. I am looking forward so much to being able to see so many Order members and old friends. I have not been able to do so for many years.’
Problems paying bills?
Did you know that you can apply to The Abhayaratna Trust for help with paying household bills? With living costs spiralling in many parts of the world, email taradakini@abhayaratnatrust.org or text her on +44 0 7857 351818 if you need financial assistance.
Only if you bank outside the UK chose option 3 direct PayPal, or email jinavamsa@abhayaratnatrust.org for other ways to give.
Communications Support: jinavamsa@abhayaratnatrust.org - Send your ideas, reflections and feedback - we love to hear from you.