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Thomas Miller is celebrating its 125th anniversary in charitable style with Chauncy Maples
Thomas Miller is celebrating its 125th anniversary in charitable style.
Believed to be the oldest ship still afloat in Africa, the 38m long motor ship Chauncy Maples is to be renovated as a floating clinic to bring primary health care to half a million of the world’s poorest people living around Lake Malawi.
The necessary funds are now being raised by the Oxford-based Chauncy Maples Malawi Trust with considerable support from Thomas Miller, a London-based specialist insurance company, which has chosen to make the renovation of Chauncy Maples the focal point of its 125th anniversary celebrations.
Thomas Miller is contributing £250,000 (US$375,000) from its own resources and has already raised a similar amount from its friends, employees and business associates.
Half a million people living long the coastline of Lake Malawi, which is 560km long and 75km at its widest point, have neither access to health care nor medical protection from malaria, tuberculosis, dysentery and HIV-Aids.
Thomas Miller’s Chairman, Hugo Wynn-Williams, “In former days, organisations would celebrate major anniversaries with lavish parties and dinners, but even before we all felt the full impact of the current global recession, there was a growing feeling amongst the more forward-thinking companies that it would be more appropriate to devote time and resources to projects that benefit the community. In Thomas Miller’s case, we were looking for a project that reflected not only our global reach and our maritime heritage but one that would appeal too to our UK clients such as members of the legal profession, patent agents, housing associations and pension fund trustees.”
Chauncy Maples is owned by the Government of Malawi and Malawi State and President Ngwasi Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika has announced his full support for this unique undertaking in the fifth poorest country in the world.
Patrick Zimpita, Director of Planning, Ministry of Health, Malawi, believes that the Chauncy Maples project is important because it fits into the Government’s key objective to ensure access and availability of health services to all Malawians, regardless of income, status or geographical position:
The Chauncy Maples project on Lake Malawi combines health service delivery; preservation of Africa’s marine heritage and training for local apprentices and will be a catalyst for both national pride and tourism.
The Trust needs to raise up to £2m (US$3m) in order for the planned refit to be completed within a 12 month time frame.
