About aidgambia
Turning Interest into Action
Welcome to aidgambiaTCHC (The Community Health Charity), a UK-based charity established in 2011 with an HMRC Charity reference number EW31468 since March 2015. We are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the people of The Gambia
Through our support of healthcare professionals and services, we aim to combat recurring health issues, including malaria and other common ailments in The Gambia. We prioritise the advancement of education in health-related areas to supplement the efforts of statutory authorities.
Our initial five-year project successfully supported the Tallinding Children's Health Centre from 2013 to 2018, resulting in positive outcomes across clinical, financial, and operational aspects. The Centre is now under the management of the local Council.
Since the end of that project, we have taken on new initiatives such as The Bendon Bursary and other health-related Gambian charities as well as continued support of football academies.
By joining forces with aidgambiaTCHC, you contribute to our mission of creating a healthier and more prosperous future for the people of The Gambia. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals and communities throughout the country.
The Trustees - Who we are
Where Passion and Dedication Meet
The charity is overseen by five trustees who convene at least three times a year including the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
We have some notable landmarks in our short history.
In December 2018 we successfully concluded the five-year Tallinding
Children's Health Centre project.
In August 2018 we established The Bendon Bursary.
In March 2022 we cemented our collaboration with
AVIC and Yarambamba Football Academies with our inaugural aidgambiaTCHC Youth Health Cup at the FIFA Goal Project which we funded along with footballs, medals and training equipment that we supplied.
At aidgambiaTCHC our Trustees ensure that all funds raised serve the Charity's purposes. Money is held in the Charity's bank account, and two Trustees must sign all cheques.
Trustees do not receive any compensation.
Marilyn McMenemy
Trustee / Chair
Marilyn brings a wealth of experience in adult, further and higher education to aidgambia. She has held leadership positions, including Acting Head and Deputy Head/Dean at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London. Throughout her career, Marilyn has demonstrated a strong focus on academic development, quality and standards, and widening participation, having worked at various London colleges.
In addition, Marilyn has served as an auditor and reviewer for the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. She is also an accomplished writer and contributor to academic development publications. Marilyn's expertise extends to project development and management, both in London and internationally, with a particular emphasis on enterprise initiatives supported by UK-based funding bodies like the British Council.
As a Trustee, Marilyn shares a passion for travel and advocates for well-planned and sustainable local projects. She has also served on various committees, most recently as a Governor at Morley College, London, where she contributed to the Finance, Resources, Fundraising, and Property Sub-Committee.
Robert Simpson
Trustee / Secretary
Robert, a former Principal Lecturer in Education at the University of East London, brings extensive expertise in curriculum management, teaching delivery, staff management, and the implementation of strategies to enhance learning and teaching quality.
Robert has authored several publications on learner support, often in collaboration with Dr. Tony Wailey both nationally and internationally. He has also served on various Governing Bodies, further contributing to his breadth of experience.
Having spent 15 years teaching English as a Second Language abroad and in inner London F.E. colleges, Robert has developed a deep interest in different cultures, languages, and countries. During his visits to The Gambia, he was initially introduced to the work of the Tallinding Children's Health Centre. Following the successful completion of the five-year project in 2018, Robert has remained committed to improving the health of Gambians and advancing educational development for professionals in the health-related field.
Peter Jules Turner MBE
Trustee / Fundraiser
Peter's career encompasses a diverse range of community work. He spent 23 years at Capital Radio, where he led the Community Services Radio department from 1990 to 2006. In this role, he managed commercial sponsorship for community services and projects across popular brands such as Capital FM, Capital Gold, XFM, Choice FM, LBC, and Classic FM. Peter also established and oversaw radio-based charities, including Help a London Child and Share a Capital Christmas, which raised an impressive £15 million to support underprivileged children in London.
As a prolific fundraiser, Peter organised numerous events, including 13 overseas trek challenges, Party in the Park (4 times), the Capital Awards Gala Dinner and corporate tie-up events with renowned companies like Barclays Bank, Disney, BA, MacDonald's, Toyota, and BT. His contributions to radio coverage of the July 7th London bombings earned his team the prestigious Sony Gold Award in 2005, considered the radio industry's equivalent of the Oscars.
Peter's work and interests have consistently centered around community welfare. He has served as a social worker and chaired Second House, a housing project for ex-offenders in North London, for over 15 years. He has also been an advisory board member for Whippersnappers, a children's charity, and a debt advisor at Brixton Advice Centre, focusing on fuel poverty and prisoners with debt issues in Brixton Prison. In recent years, Peter served as a member of the Help a London Child Grants Panel overseeing the allocation of £11 million annually.
With a passion for travel, Peter has fulfilled trustee and consultant roles in various community-based projects in Tanzania and Namibia. In recognition of his contributions to community broadcasting, he was awarded an MBE in 2002.
Beverly O’Sullivan
Trustee / Treasurer
Beverly was Director of Brixton Advice Centre for 12 years. Previous to this, she spent a year supporting organisations to set up and register as charities that included the establishment of constitutions and the management of accounting systems and sustainable business plans.
Beverly began her career in the British Civil Service working in Human Resources before moving to a high profile national charity where she headed up the Finance and Personnel Department for fourteen years. She then moved to another charity based in London where she worked on fundraising; in the main, she organised overseas fundraising expeditions and has taken large groups of volunteers to Namibia, China, Brazil and Morocco.
Beverly loves travel and her background and experience have led her to a firm belief in sustainable local projects and the ability of individuals to make a huge difference.
Jane Gay
Trustee
Jane spent many years working in further and higher education as a Senior Lecturer, where she focused on Staff Development. During her first visit to the clinic in 2017, she was very impressed with the commitment of the staff and saw an opportunity to use her expertise to nurture their continuing professional development. She is subsequently working on the Bendon Bursary initiative to enable staff to gain opportunities and further their careers. Its first beneficiary, Chernor Jallow, graduated from the University of The Gambia in 2020 with flying colours.