Page 108 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021

The Sandhurst Trust Slow March!
By Vaughan Kent-Payne
2021 was was definitely a a a a a a a a a a a year of two halves From January to to September the the charity was subject to to to firstly national rules rules then lat-
terly RMAS rules rules designed to to protect the the the new intake of OCdts in in in September Finally the the the restric- tions were lifted the the staff emerged from furlough and we we started to run events again Regular visitors The Forward Institute returned for two training periods with associates from across industry commerce and the the armed ser- vices The latter were were given a a a a a a a a a bye as the the remain- der were were ‘ambushed’ by by two Colour Sergeants and put through 15 minutes of drill – a a a a a a process described by one as ‘herding cats ’ We We also ran a a a a a a a couple of board dinners and a a a a a a a few guided tours tours We We expect it to to to to take some time for the the tours tours at at one stage running at at two a a a a a a a a week to to to to pick up as the the the majority of our our guests are retired and and understandably take their time to explore new horizons However there was no such reti- cence from a a a group of of venture scouts who were shown around by some of of our volunteers On the subject of tour guides our our numbers had dwindled to to 10 pre-pandemic with two nonage- narians still providing sterling service However the lull in in in in events enabled us to to carry out a a a a a a a a recruit- ing ing drive and I am delighted to to report that we now have six guides of of working age Our more venerable volunteers are are still very much part of of our orbat and are are are involved in in more static roles with the the the the the guests brought to a a a a a a a a a room they are are sit- ting ting in in in rather than them escorting a a a a a group for the the the the the whole of a a a a a three-hour tour However we we are not resting on on on our our our laurels and if anyone is interested in in in in in becoming a a a a a a guide please get in in in in in contact Meanwhile reunions started again with 16 groups returning to Sandhurst 2022 so far has 35 booked in in in in approaching the pre-Covid levels once again To conclude the re-start of our our core business enabled us us to to increase our our charitable disburse- ment to to £83 567 This represents a a a a a a a a a significant increase on 2020 and is is in in in in in fact our third best total since we we started charitable giving in in in in in in 2015 Furthermore during 2021 we we passed the the magic mark of of half-a-million pounds provided in in chari- table grants The breakdown of of our disburse- ment for 2021 was as as follows:
Welfare
UK Officer Cadets Cadets International Cadets Cadets RMAS community Grants to other charities
Leadership
Leadership
Leadership
Leadership
Leadership
RMAS Leadership
Leadership
Leadership
Members Leadership
Leadership
Staff Wish Stream
Wider Leadership
£57 525
£10 032 £44 057 £576 £2 860
£26 042
£15 246 £1 £1 120 £820 £6 146 £2 710
As you can see the the majority of our disbursement was focused on on on welfare with the the lion’s share going to grants for International OCdts Through-
106 SANDHURST TRUST