John & Vera — Running the Royal Parks Half Marathon for MMH Orphan Care.

For more than 10 years, John and Vera have supported Mulanje Mission Hospital (MMH) in Malawi through The Good Little Company Charitable Trust. John chairs the Trust, which has already invested almost £2 million into the hospital’s projects. Malawi is the poorest peaceful country in the world, and Mulanje is a small community hospital serving over 100,000 people with very limited resources — sometimes only one or two doctors for the entire catchment area.

Among the many projects supported through the Trust, the Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme is particularly close to John and Vera’s hearts. Almost totally funded by the Good Little Company Trust, the programme now supports more than 500 children, who live within the community with grandparents or extended family. It provides food, healthcare, school uniforms, school fees and psycho-social support from hospital staff and trained volunteers so these children can stay safe and in education. Without this support, life would be an almost impossible struggle.

Each year, John and Vera travel to Mulanje to visit the hospital and the communities it serves. They meet with hospital staff, review projects on the ground, and see first‑hand the impact of the OVC programme. These visits ensure accountability and give encouragement to the dedicated team delivering the work.

The OVC programme keeps children alive and learning, but when they turn 18, the support ends. In a country with very few opportunities, this is a heartbreaking gap. Over the years, John and Vera have personally supported a small number of students into higher or further education and professional training. They want many more young people to have the same chance to fulfil their ambitions.

That is why they are launching the OVC Bursary. This will fund vocational training, higher or further education fees, exam costs and essential equipment for determined, high‑achieving young people from the OVC programme. Candidates will be selected on academic merit, vocational ambition and their commitment to give back to their communities. John and Vera’s annual visits will help ensure the bursaries are well‑managed and effective.

On Sunday 12 October, John and Vera will run the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London to launch this fund. They are personally committed to matching every pound raised, pound for pound, up to a target of £20,000. Every gift will be doubled and will go directly to training, tuition and essential costs that open doors to careers and independence.

Please sponsor their run and help turn hard work and ambition into real opportunity. Every pound you give becomes two pounds of impact.

👉 Donate now to the Mulanje Bursary Fund — together we can change the trajectory of a young life.

PS. using givewheel ensures almost all your support goes to the cause, unlike other funding platforms. However you will still be invited to contribute to them. Please choose Custom amount and set to 0. They are funded by the bank charges.