11 January 2010 - Brief Report on the Funeral of Nana Alan Rudwick by Akora Ken Agra

Nana Alan Rudwick’s funeral was held on Monday 11 January 2010 at Ryde in the Isle of Wight, UK. The church service was scheduled to start at 12.30pm. Akora Prof Felix Konotey-Ahulu and Akora Janet Kotoka and I took the same 11.15am catamaran from Portsmouth. We therefore arrived at the church together, just before noon.

By 12.15 we had all started to take our seats. Given adverse weather conditions all during that weekend the turnout was good. All Saints Church in Ryde is very large, and yet it was about half full. Had it not been for the weather conditions, it is certain that more people would have been able to attend.

At 12.30 on the dot, the coffin, draped in Alan’s personal kente cloth, was borne into the church. We all stood up as custom demands. After opening prayers were said, Malcolm Redding read his personal tribute, which was followed by a reading from the Bible: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12. We then sang the hymn “Praise my Soul the King of Heaven.” After that, I read the tribute on behalf of the OAA, followed by John 14:1-6 from the Bible. The vicar gave a brief but touching address about five minutes in duration. There were more prayers, followed by the hymn “Guide Me Oh Thou Great Redeemer.” Both of the hymns we sang were much-loved Achimota standards. The vicar then gave the Commendation and Farewell, and at 1:00 pm exactly, the coffin was borne out of the church and taken to the crematorium, which was not far away. This part of the afternoon was a private affair; only Mrs Rudwick, her sister and two others attended the cremation. In the meantime, the rest of the guests mingled in the church hall for refreshments, until Mrs Rudwick returned.

In all, there were 14 Akoras there: nine former students and five ex-teachers. The ex-teachers were Mr and Mrs Malcolm Redding, Mr John Barham, Mrs Savitri Shinya (who used to be Miss Saravanamutu) and Mrs Joyce Warrilow, whose husband also taught at Achimota. The daughter of P G Rendall, the headmaster of Achimota from 1949 to 1953, Ms Helen Rendall, was also there. It was her father who appointed Alan Rudwick to the staff of Achimota School.

Both tributes that Malcolm and I read, though short, were well-received and covered all the facets of Alan Rudwick’s life. Mrs Rudwick commented afterward that many of the islanders said they had learnt a lot about Alan through the tributes. She described the funeral as an uplifting occasion. The islanders also said that they had had very interesting conversations with various Akoras both before the service and afterward, in the church hall.

All in all, given the weather conditions, Alan Rudwick had a splendid send off. John Barham agreed with this sentiment during my conversation with him in the church hall. Although no photos were allowed during the church service itself, photos of those who attended were taken in the church hall after the service. These will be available in due course.

PREVIOUS NEWS ITEMS

10th April 2009 - The Trust provides the School with new TV sets and DVD players

The Trust has recently procured and shipped to Ghana 5 32-inch LCD Samsung television sets and 5 Samsung DVD players, together with the necessary voltage stabilisers. The equipment is to be used in the School's science laboratories. The School has now taken delivery of the shipment. A short ceremony was held at the school to present the items officially to staff and students. The Deputy Boys' Senior Prefect received the items on behalf of the students and expressed his appreciation to the Achimota Trust and the old Achimotan Association in the UK on behalf of the Board of Governors Staff and Students of Achimota School.

9th March 2009 - Update on the Activities of the Trust

:ADDITIONAL TRUSTEES
After deliberations at the Annual General Meeting of Trustees of The Achimota Trust, the following Akoras have joined the membership of the Achimota Trust:
1. Dr Kwabena Akuffo-Akoto, also a member of the OAA-UK committee
2. Ms Annette Klufio, immediate past General Secretary.
The full list of trustees as at 20 September 2008 is as follows:
1. Mr Ken Agra –Trust administrator (appointed Nov 1997)
2. Dr Kwabena Akuffo-Akoto (appointed Sept 2008)
3. Mrs Charlotte Brew-Graves (appointed Nov 1997)
4. Mrs Grace Dako (appointed April 2002)
5. Ms Annette Klufio (appointed Sept 2008)
6. Dr Alex Kwapong (appointed Dec 1986)
7. Mrs Grace Nartey (appointed Nov 2003)
8. Mr Malcolm Redding (appointed Dec 1986)
9. Dr Ann Rudwick (appointed January 2003)
10. Dr Bill Turner (appointed Nov 1997)

SUPPORT FOR ACHIMOTA
During the financial year 2008/09, the Trustees of the Achimota Trust have donated the following items to the school, expending a total of £11,815.00 as at 18 February 2009.
• 20 new computers (in addition to the 20 computers that were donated in 2007)
• A brand new slasher for the Massey Ferguson Tractor donated in 2004

• 5 x 32in Samsung LCD television sets –for use in the science laboratories
• 5 x DVD players
• 3 x voltage stabilisers

Some of the computers donated by the Trust are put to good use in the School's Computer Laboratory

The Trust has received the following letter of appreciation from Mrs Adom, Headmistress of Achimota School.

Dear Mr Agra,

As promised, I handed over the 20 computers and accessories you presented to the school first to the head of the ICT department and secondly to the school prefect. We had Form 2 Vocational 2 there who happened to be having a lesson there at the time. In attendance were the three assistant heads and some computer teachers.
The school prefect in his response stated how touched he was as regards to your magnanimity and attachment to the school. Indeed he made the form 2 students know the state of the computer lab when he came to form one and how your group the UK branch of the OAA presented the school with the 1st 20 computers. I wish to inform you how grateful we all are. Indeed your response to the needs of the school has made the students pledge to also attend to the needs of the school in future when they scatter far and wide.

Once again on behalf of the Board of Governors of Achimota School, School administration, staff, students and on my own behalf, I wish to say thank you to all who financed this project and all who spent time to make the computers arrive in Achimota School. God richly bless you and replenish your stock.

Regards,
Beatrice Adom
Headmistress

DOTCH EVENT
The trustees of The Achimota Trust organised a very successful fundraising Dotch Event at Adwoa’s Kitchen at Thornton Heath on Saturday 21 June 2008. It was a very informal event and people came and left at different times. The aim was to raise funds to purchase more computers for Achimota School. Funds raised totalled £790.00. Those attending included Mr Kwesi Quartey, Ghana’s Deputy High Commissioner to the UK, Professor Konotey-Ahulu, chairman of the OAA-UK and his wife and their granddaughter and also Mrs Charlotte Brew-Graves, former Headmistress of Achimota School. The trustees are planning a further Dotch Event in 2009 at about the beginning of July. Please watch this space for the exact date and venue.

9th November 2007 - Website Updated with Latest AGM Papers

To view the 2007 AGM papers click here.

9th March 2007 - New Computers Supplied

The Trust is pleased to announce that it has been able to support the School by the provision of 20 new computers and a printer, items which were high on the School’s list of priorities for the year. The equipment was procured in the United Kingdom and shipped to Ghana, all shipping and clearing costs also being met by the Trust, and the School has taken delivery of it. The total cost was just over £7,000 (between 125 and 126 million cedis). The procurement and shipping of the computing equipment was organised and managed by Lead Trustee, Akora Ken Agra liaising with Mrs Mensah, the acting Headmistress and Trustee Akora Charlotte Brew-Graves in Ghana.

12th September 2006 - The King is Dead, Long Live The King

With effect from the Annual Meeting of the Trustees, held in London on 2 September 2006, Mr Malcolm Redding has relinquished his role as lead Trustee and the affairs of the Trust will now be managed on a day-to-day basis by Mr Ken Agra who can be contacted by e-mail at kenagra@aol.com

Mr Redding continues to serve as a Trustee.

12th September 2006 - 2006 AGM Papers Published

The Annual Report and Accounts for the financial year ending 5 April 2006 have been published on the website. Press the AGM Papers link.

12th September 2006 - New Computers to be Supplied

At their Annual Meeting held, the Trustees agreed to try to provide some new computers for the School, following a request for such equipment from the Headmistress, Mrs Kwami. Investigations are under way as to the most efficient and cost-effective way to procure the computers.

20th July 2006 - Legacy from John Thompson

The Trustees wish to record with gratitude the legacy of £500 received from the estate of the late Akora John Thompson. He was instrumental in establishing the Trust in 1987and was a source of help and counsel to the Trustees thereafter until his death last year. His legacy reflects the generosity of the man to whom Achimota School and the OAA (UK) meant so much.

11th July 2006 - Letter of Appreciation from Achimota

The Trust has received the following letter from the Headmistress of Achimota School, Mrs Adelaide Kwami:

Letter of Appreciation

I write on behalf of the Board of Governors, the school and on my own behalf to thank the Achimota Trust for donating teaching and learning materials to the Home Economics Department, the third instalment within a short period of time.

It is indeed a morale booster to both staff and students and we hope that this will help them to improve upon their exam results. We are indeed very grateful to Akora Beatrice Mettle-Nunoo and her sister-in-law Mrs Cynthia Mettle-Nunoo for their effort in purchasing all these items for the school

I am also happy to inform you that the sporting equipment you sent to us has worked wonders. In the inter-school athletics competition, the school competed in zone two with twenty-one schools. The boys took the first position while the girls took the fourth position. They promise that this is only the beginning of greater things to come.

The Headmistress sent this picture of the students in their sporting outfit with their trophy

25th June 2006 - Extra £3000 to Home Science Department

The Trust has recently spent a further £3000 on equipment for the new Home Science department at Achimota School; once again, the Trustees are most grateful to OAA(UK) Treasurer Akora Beatrice Mettle-Nunoo who helped the members of the Home Science staff in procuring the items purchased. The total grant from the Trust to support the School in equipping the new Home Science building has been £5500.

5th April 2006 - New Home Science Equipment

The Trust has recently spent £2500 on equipment for the Home Science department at Achimota School; we are grateful to OAA(UK) Treasurer Akora Beatrice Mettle-Nunoo who spent a day in Accra shopping for the items with members of the Home Science staff. The School has thanked the Trust for this latest grant in support of one of its priority areas.

21st January 2006 - Music School Works Postponed

Achimota School has requested support from the Trust for equipment for its new Home Science department. The Trustees have agreed to try to provide such support and work is under way to procure the items requested. The School has indicated that the refurbishment and re-equipping of the Music School is not high on its list of priorities and the Trustees have, therefore, reluctantly concluded that they should not proceed with this project for the time being; it is hoped to take it up again at a later date.

3rd May 2005 - Wedding Gifts with a Difference

10th March 2005

Further to the news item of 9 February 2005, the Trustees are pleased to report that the School has now taken delivery of the equipment for the Physics Department and the microscopes for the Biology Department and has expressed its gratitude. An order for sports equipment and clothing to the value of over £2,500 has now been placed and should be delivered within the next few weeks. This brings to over £6,000 the expenditure on School projects in the current financial year.

9th February 2005

The Trust has, at the request of the School, just ordered physics equipment worth almost £1,000
The Trust has also purchased 22 microscopes for the biology department at a cost of almost £1,450.
It is expected that these items will be shipped to Ghana shortly.
Malcolm Redding is currently in negotiation with a firm of sportswear manufacturers to purchase and send to Achimota a range of sportswear and equipment, including some badged tracksuits.
The news on the Music School project is less positive than the Trust had hoped as it has proved extremely difficult to obtain accurate and meaningful information as to the School's requirements. Work is being done in Ghana by Bill and Patricia Turner in consultation with the Head of Music, Mr Ken Kafui and we are hopeful of receiving information soon which will enable us to launch the appeal that was first mooted back in September 2004. The appeal will aim to raise funds to repair the fabric of the Music School and to provide equipment , music and instruments which will be a first step towards returning Achimota School to a position where it can again boast of its musical prowess. The appeal will be endorsed by Mr John Barham, former Head of Music, and Akora Professor Eric Akrofi of the University of Transkei. Approaches have been made to other Akoras who are professional musicians. We are confident that we will soon be able to launch the appeal so that the badly-needed work can begin to return Achimota to its pre-eminent position in Ghanaian musical education and performance.

22nd November 2004

At their annual meeting held on 6 November 2004, the Trustees resolved that the next project for the Trust would be the raising of funds for the refurbishment of the Music Department at Achimota School. Regrettably, over the years, the building has fallen into disrepair and there is a serious lack of resources for the teaching of music. It is intended to launch a formal appeal in the New Year in the light of information currently being sought from the School and its Music staff. The target has tentatively been set at £25,000.