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A new Charitable Trust,  launched on 30 May will provide advice and assistance from British counterparts and experts to community groups in Lithuania, particularly in the most vulnerable sectors.  Members of the British-Lithuanian Society have been raising funds for some years and they are now ready to start work offering to act as a bridge between communities and groups in the two countries.

At the launch held at the Lithuanian Embassy on 30 May, the Ambassadors of the two countries welcomed this development and offered to work closely with the Trustees.

British Ambassador in Vilnius, Colin Roberts said: “This is a great initiative.  Lithuania is changing rapidly. Its economy is booming and its people becoming wealthier. But there is still poverty and deprivation and many challenges left over from the Soviet Occupation. There is a need for support of the kind that The Tiltas Trust can deliver – not vast sums of money, but seed funds backed with the knowledge, experience and commitment of the Trustees to identify projects where a bit of help is needed to trigger change.”

Lithuanian Ambassador in London, Vygaudas Ušackas, has long been helping under-privileged young people in rural areas of his country.  Ambassador Ušackas said: “I  can see the potential for The Tiltas Trust to provide assistance in a number of fields, and to promote the tradition of sharing and giving.  I look forward to The Tiltas Trust  engaging with the broader community of Lithuanians in the UK, especially those recently established in the UK.”

Chairman of the Trust, Michael Peart, told thosesaid  at the launch “The Trust hopes to bring together those in both countries who want to see the remarkable progress achieved by many in Lithuania in the 15 years since it regained its Independence spread to all parts of the country and to all sections of the population.that with so many I particularly hope that Lithuanians now living in the United Kingdom, not least and a number working in the professions, the Trustees hope that will want to contribute expertise and funding” might be forthcoming from that community; but also from other people who have an interest in seeing the remarkable progress achieved by many in Lithuania in the 15 years since it regained its Independence, spread to all parts of the country and to all sections of the population.

Information about the Trust’s activities will be recorded in a regular Newsletter posted on a web site due to be launched in the next few weeks.

Patrons: Their Excellencies The Lithuanian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and The British Ambassador to Lithuania

Trustees: Mida Jolanta Babilienė, Kenneth Kastytis Baublys, Wendy Ann Howe, Thomas Townley Macan, Michael John Peart

Bank Account: Lloyds TSB: Account name: The Tiltas Trust  Sort Code: 30-99-98  Account No. 2692187

Registered Charity No. 1118912

The Tiltas Trust        

c/o The Lithuanian Embassy

84 Gloucester Place

London W1U 6AU

E-mail: TiltasTrust@hotmail.co.ukThe British-Lithuanian Society Charitable Trust 

Tel: Secretary - +44 (0) 20 7359 3141

Note for Editors

The British-Lithuanian Society (BLS) has encouraged the opening of new links between British and Lithuanian organisations over recent years. This has included cultural, political, economic and commercial links as well as the provision of help, in a small way, for certain NGOs and charitable organisations in Lithuania. The scope of this work has, hitherto, been limited by the funds available to the BLS, being its subscription income from its Members.

Realising that there is more that could be done, particularly in establishing contacts between organisations in both countries that could benefit from the experience and expertise of the other, as well as the opportunities for the transfer of knowledge and know-how, BLS decided to set-up a Trust Fund to build on its initial work. The Tiltas Trust (Tiltas means “bridge” in Lithuanian) has been established and registered by The Charity Commission.

The Trustees, listed at the foot of the page above, all have long-standing connections with Lithuania. Two are former British Ambassadors in Vilnius, two are British citizens from Lithuanian families and one is a senior Lithuanian staff member of the British Embassy in Vilnius. The two present bilateral Ambassadors in Vilnius and London are Patrons of the Trust.

The Tiltas Trust will not seek to fund substantial ongoing projects; it will use its limited resources to sow the seeds of co-operative ventures between potential partners from both countries. It will target areas that perhaps receive less priority in central or local government priorities but where an injection of expertise might improve the prospects of deserving community groups. For example, one area that could receive early attention is help with the establishment of mutual support groups in Lithuania for those fighting cancer and other serious disease. Help for orphans and other deserving young people will be a high priority.

Those wishing to donate to the Trust can do so by contacting the Trust’s office at the Lithuanian Embassy.