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2019 Annual Report
Friends of Nigeria-RVH Save a Heart Foundation.

Annual report of The Friends of Nigeria-RVH Save a Heart Foundation-June 1st 2018-May 31st 2019. Charity Registration No: NIC100026, Company Registration No: NI624534 and HMRC No: NI00292

Friends of Nigeria-RVH Save a Heart Foundation (Save a Heart Nigeria) came into existence following a unanimous decision by the volunteers (16th Oct 2013) who had participated at the previous medical charity mission to Nigeria; setting up and initiating open heart surgery programme at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital as well as in other suitable medical institutions. This report covers our activities from 1st June 2018 to 31st May 2019.

Registration and compliance with regulations:

1. 1)  A charity bank account remains unchanged with Danske Bank. The account name is Friends of Nigeria-RVH Save a Heart Foundation Fund (Save a heart Fund). It comprises of a current and savings account. Signatories to the account are the 3 Directors of the Friends of Nigeria- RVH Save a heart Foundation as listed in the company registration document.
2. 2)  Friends of Nigeria-RVH Save a Heart Foundation was among the first 100 charities registered following the introduction of the on-line registration of all charities within Northern Ireland. We were delighted to have the group picture of our June 2014 charity mission to University of Nigeria teaching Hospital with our host worthy to appear on the CCNI web site banner.
3. 3)  Company Registration: In compliance with regulatory requirement, Friends of Nigeria-RVH Save a Heart Foundation is a registered charity company, limited by guarantee. There are 5 Directors listed in the company records: Mr Oc Nzewi (Executive Director and Chairman) Dr Bharathi Varadarajan (Vice Chairperson), Ms Janet Mills (Secretary) and Mr Eanan Harkin (Treasurer) and Mrs Karen James
4. 4)  HMRC registration for Gift aid and Tax purposes. We are registered with HMRC. This is a very important land mark as it will enable us claim back 25p for every £1 donated to us by

any UK tax payer that supports our work. Save a heart Foundation have benefited from gift aid top-up for the fourth successive year. No claims was submitted within this account period.

5. 5)  Official web site for The Friend of Nigeria-RVH Save a Heart Foundation remains: www.saveaheartnigeria.org.uk. This is administered by Charity checkout.co.uk
6. 6)  Account and audit/Independent examiner: Norman Elliot Accountants, No 18 Bachelors Walk Lisburn BT28 1XJ remains the charity’s accountant.

Donations and Fund-raising activities

Without support and generosity of the wonderful people of Northern Ireland, we would not have functioned and achieved the success we recorded within the past years. Save a Heart is immensely grateful for donations of both new and decommissioned but well serviced and usable equipment and cardiac surgery consumables.

We had only one major fund raising activity this period: Voices together Choir of the St John’s Presbyterian Church Newtownbreda supported by the Celtic Psalms performed again to raise money for us, at the beautiful Agepe Centre Methodist church Lisburn Road Belfast. Well attended concert that raised substantial amount of money. Together with generous donation from members of the public, a total of £31.103.55 was generated during this financial year.

Charity activities during the reporting period.

1. 1)  Free adult open heart surgery at UNTH Enugu, Nigeria 2019. Our main charity open heart surgery did not take place in May-June 2019 as usual because of the General election in Nigeria was scheduled over this period. We deliberately moved it to September 2019 because of the security problems. Report of this very successful mission will be captured in the 2019/20 report.
2. 2)  Outside Cardiac Surgery activity: Visit and donations to New-born special care Unit at UNTH: We donated large quantities of medical consumables and a brand-new GE Lullaby Warmer+Resus Prime. We are very proud of our involvement with this unit. The Resuscitire is expected to increase significantly survival rate of these very venerable neonates. This activity was captured in 017/18 report but it actually took place on 17th August 2018 and therefore fell into this year’s reporting. It is gratifying to note that this piece of equipment have made tremendeous improvement in the survival rate of premature babies treated at the New born Special care Unit. We remain grateful to the family that funded this expensive project.

Financial report: A total of £31,103.55 was raised in this financial year. Total expenditure was £16,052.36, most of which were payment fall through from May 2018 open heart charity mission. Detailed account is contained in the annual account report.

Action plan for next year:

1) We are planning for 2 mission trips, one to UNTH and the other to Human Race Specialist Hospital Owerri to assist in initiation of low cost cardiac surgery centre. It is anticipated that this centre will serve as a fellowship training Hospital were Nigerian cardiac surgeon will be trained and mentored in an environment that they are familiar with.

2) Funding raising activities: We will intensify our fund-raising activities. The following are planned: Charity Christmas craft sales, Charity quiz night and Charity ball.

3) Application for gift aid refund from HMRC to be pursued a soon as files are ready.

4) Continue with identification of targeted training position for some of the local team members from Nigeria where possible. We see this as the best way to fast track training of our local partners. 6 member team are due to leave UNTH to India in March 2020, for training with our Charity partners.

5) Free open heart surgery is planned for Septmber/October 2019/20 period. We look forward to more successful mission in 2019/20
Vise en espoir “look forward in hope” To do nothing is no longer an option.

Below are snap pictures of the activities by the volunteers over this reporting period.

Voices together Chior St John’S Presbyterian Church Newtownbreda supported by Celtic psalms on stage performed in front of large audience at fund raising event at Agepa centre Lisburn Road Belfast- 3rd November 2018

Activities at New Born Special care Unit- Donation of more Knitted wares from South Belfast Methodist Church ladies’ Luncheon Club/ In-stitch and craft group: regular donors to the Unit. Presentation of brand-new GE lullaby Warmer+Resus replacing the 25yrs old one- August 2018.

By Oc Nzewi