There is little doubt that this Financial Year has been somewhat challenging from both the fund-raising and how best to spend the money points of view. The continuing financial problems around the world have placed restraints on money people have been able to use for charitable donations and understandably a few sponsors have had to withdraw from the scholarship scheme. However all is not doom and gloom, we have continued to enjoy the support of the Lady Boys of Bangkok touring show here in the UK who have by organising a retiring bucket collection at the end of their shows during 2011 raised £14,720 for us from their audiences. We are delighted that not only was the show's owner Philip Gandey able to make a visit to meet the MERCY team in Pattaya and to visit the new MERCY home during a fleeting two-hour visit to the city but also that the Lady Boys of Bangkok shows will be collecting for us again this year as well as promoting us on their website. Another show-biz connection is in Jomtien, Pattaya where Ray Cornell owner of the Venue hotel and showbar also held a number of fund raising evenings on our behalf and he has personally supported the work of the Hauy Phong Children's Home. Our local Rotary clubs have also been generous in their support so we have been able to maintain the monthly food parcels that many of our students receive. 

We have taken more children onto our scholarship scheme throughout the year and there are more applications in the pipeline for the new school year which starts in May. We have been able to find individual sponsors for 95% of the children and are continuing to pay for the school costs for those children as yet not sponsored. We have not had to turn any applications away thanks to the continuing support and the generosity of so many people who have made donations throughout the year.

During my six-week visit to Pattaya during December and January I was, thanks to the amazing organisation of the MERCY team, able to meet almost of all the kids we are helping and visit many of their homes as well as the projects we are supporting. Our Chairman Kath Hutt and Secretary Joy Adams also saw much of the work during their holiday in November. It is always good to see for ourselves what is going on five-thousand miles away from home although the MERCY team do keep us well up to date with everything during the year with weekly reports and photos.

We decided to help the new MERCY Home complete the purchase of bunk-beds for all of the twenty eight children as many were sleeping on mattresses on the floor. Not only was this not particularly comfortable but it also took up a lot of space that could be better used if the kids had bunk-beds. We also helped with finance for tables and items of learning equipment for the kids at the Home.

At the Hauy Phong Children's Home we were able to purchase forty-one metal lockers for the boys' dormitories as well as sports equipment. The New Year Party for the three-hundred and fifty kids at the home and the other parties came in just a few pence over the donations specifically given for those events. Our thanks to everyone who supported the appeal for the Hauy Phong Home party, the students' party and the combined MERCY kids and slum kids' party.

We met the cost of the materials needed for rebuilding the home of one of our students that had been destroyed by the flooding in Pattaya in October and we have helped with the refurbishment and repair costs of others. As in previous years bedding has been on the list of needs for many of the children and where possible we have supplied bunk-beds which not only avoid the kids having to sleep on mats on the often damp floors but  this also frees up much needed space in what are in most cases only very small rooms.

Apart from the regular monthly food and water deliveries we have stepped in to assist where children have needed medical attention and continued to support the 'Share Love with a Friend' project that supports badly disabled children from the slums with rice, water, milk, and medical needs. The project is run by Sam a former employee of MERCY Pattaya and someone we have worked with for a few years.

Visiting sponsors have often continued to extend additional support to the kids and this has in turn released our funds to be used for other children. With rising costs it is important that we maximise every last penny and to this end we are grateful to MERCY Pattaya for carrying out the work in the field and bearing the costs of staff and transport costs from their own funds.

We hope that either from the information on our website or from our Blog: