About us

Our trust's history

In the late 1950s a stewardship campaign was held in the Parish of All Saints Somerset West in the Western Cape, South Africa.  A group of men in the congregation were so concerned by the extreme lack of resources of the Anglican churches, schools and mission hospitals, particularly those in the segregated black areas that they set about finding ways to try to help. 

Local businessman, Harold Wilson approached the Archbishop of Cape Town and asked that an appeal be launched.  He and another member of that group, Dr Arthur Spencer-Payne, toured Southern Africa gathering photographs and information.  Armed with this, they persuaded the Archbishop to sanction the formation of a mission body dedicated to raising funds for and awareness of the plight of the churches. 

In 1960 Dr Spencer-Payne retired and he and Harold Wilson returned to the UK to set up the Trust.  It was founded that same year as a UK charity (no. 228605).   About three years later Harold Wilson returned to South Africa to take care of his business interests. Dr Spencer-Payne continued to work for the Trust in the UK, by visiting parishes, schools and other bodies, and speaking of the need for support for the Church, its schools and communities in southern Africa.  In 1979 the Directorship passed to Miss Joan Antcliff, a close friend and associate of Dr Spencer-Payne. Miss Antcliff continued the work for the next twenty years, tirelessly campaigning for donations and travelling extensively in southern Africa to visit the various projects. The present Director, Dr Jack Mulder began duties in May 2000 and continues to promote the work of the Trust in southern Africa.

Aims and objectives

As a registered UK Charity (No 228605) the Trust is bound by the terms of its deed to operate mainly within the CPSA (Church of the Province of Southern Africa) region. This officially includes South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Angola and St Helena. The main objectives of the Trust is the building of partnerships with the dioceses, missions and rural groups in order to improve the facilities and resources for the local communities.

The trust supports the building of community centres and churches, classrooms and hostels, educational programmes and student bursaries, special projects such as primary health care in mission hospitals and more recently Aids clinics, crèches and educare centres in the townships.

Projects are carefully identified so as to avoid duplication or competition with other associations and to provide funding for smaller projects that fall outside the terms of reference of the larger funding agencies.

Trustees