Who are we?
Committee:
Committee Members (L-R):
Dr Sheck Matsiko – Committee Member
Sheck is a consultant gastroenterologist at Grantham Hospital. He carried out his internship at Mengo Hospital in the 1980s.
Clive Kennett – Editor of Mengo Notes
Clive is a chartered surveyor and he visited Mengo for the first time in January 2010 to draw up a site plan. His experience there changed his outlook on life and he realised that we can make a difference. He has taken over from Christine as Mengo Notes editor
Dr John Dalton – Chair
John is currently an obstetrics and gynaecology trainee in the West Yorkshire region. He first visited the hospital in 2005 and has spent a total of four months working at Mengo over four separate occasions.
Christine McNally
Christine worked at Mengo Hospital from 1969-1971 as a physiotherapist. She was sponsored by the Church Missionary Society to cover the furloughs of two physiotherapists who were missionaries there. On Christine’s return to England she retrained and became a social worker. She has returned to Mengo three times since 1998, the last time being in 2007. She was first on the committee in 1998 and has recently come to the end of her tenure on the committee. We wish her well and thank her for all her good work.
Andrew Billington - Vice chair
Andrew was born in Mengo Hospital in 1949 and spent most of his early years in Uganda. His father Roy Billington was a doctor, later Medical Superintendent, at Mengo Hospital from 1937 to 1970. Andrew is involved with a number of charities and is Chair of the Petchey Academy in Hackney, London.
Miss Emily Cook – Secretary
Emily’s grandfather Jack Cook was brother to Sir Albert Cook, founder of Mengo Hospital. ‘Dr Jack’ worked at Mengo for 20 years alongside Albert and Emily’s father was born at Mengo. Emily is also a doctor currently undergoing surgical training and has visited Uganda and Mengo several times.
Paul Darrall – Visitor advisor
Paul is an electrical engineer who first visited Mengo in 1970, and then worked in Mwanzaas aVSO hospital engineer. He has recently been involved in the Kisiizi Hydro-electric Power Project,taking teams from SSE to assist with the high voltage network and training of local staff. He is on the CMS Mid-Africa Forum.
Richard Oliver – Treasurer
Richard, the second son of Gwen and Dr Hugh Oliver, was born at Mengo in 1962 and remembers fourteen happy years living there. He currently lives in Cambridge with his family and teaches science at a local secondary school.
Not pictured: Dr John Billinghurst – President, Dr Hugh Oliver – Vice president.
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” – C.S. Lewis
Size of Charity:
Committee of 9 volunteers
Approximately 750 supporters in the UK - mostly individuals and church groups.
Annual Income: - £20,000-£25,000 (excluding occasional legacies/larger donations)
In the last year we have been seeking to substantially increase our support for Mengo Hospital - now facing many challenges as a result of ageing buildings, ageing and inadequate infrastructure and old/obsolete equipment. Mengo Hospital has also been faced with significant problems caused by drought (seriously affecting water and electricity supplies to the hospital).
Background
The UK Friends of Mengo Hospital began in 1959 when the first issue of Mengo Notes was printed and circulated to 1000 friends, supporters, employees and ex-employees. The “Friends” became all those who responded to this initial mailing. Mengo Notes is free, published annually and sent to anyone who is interested in Mengo Hospital. Please email admin@mengofriends.org.uk for your free copy. Alternatively, download a copy from this site.
Aims
UK Friends of Mengo gained official charitable status in 1983 with the following aims:
- The advancement of the Christian faith in Uganda and particularly Mengo Hospital
- Support and aid for all aspects of Mengo Hospital
“Safeguarding the rights of others is the most noble and beautiful end of a human being” – Kahlil Gibran
In 1983 Friends of Mengo UK became an ‘official group’ with charitable status.