This week’s blog is about the new UK head office for RIPPLE Africa in Buckingham

For the last 11 years, RIPPLE Africa has been run from Geoff’s business office in Leighton Buzzard, and Geoff and Liz’s home, to keep overheads down. Megan has also been working from her home in Glasgow, and so has Susie who regrettably moved on from RIPPLE Africa in February.

We have always tried to keep our UK costs to a minimum but, as everyone will appreciate, RIPPLE Africa has to put more effort into fundraising and keeping in contact with our donors. In short, we have to be more proactive.

Charlie, who has worked in Malawi for two years and also spent 10 months volunteering, has now returned to the UK, and so it was time to open a new office and have all the UK staff at one location.

The new UK head office

We have managed to obtain a wonderful office which is 15 minutes’ walk from Geoff and Liz’s house, and we have negotiated a rent-free period of six months. Liz found a charity called Green Furniture Aid which provides office furniture for free to charities. Geoff and Charlie visited and, with Geoff’s son Neil, collected a van full of furniture all for FREE the following week. We’ve hung pictures of people and projects in Malawi on the walls, and Geoff and Liz purchased a ping pong table that doubles up as a meeting table and which is also great fun.

The whole office, with stationery, printer, phone, furniture transport, etc., has cost under £1,000, but we are so delighted with it. We really feel it will provide a great location to stimulate a better and stronger future for the charity, and there’s plenty of space for part-time staff, volunteers, and interns to help with fundraising, research, marketing and admin.

Claire has just joined the team as the UK Administrator, and Charlie is settling in to his new role as the UK General Manager so life at RIPPLE Africa is buzzing.

Claire (top) and Charlie (bottom)

If anyone is passing Buckingham, please drop in to see us for a cup of tea and maybe a game of ping pong!

Address: Whiteleaf Business Centre, 11 Little Balmer, Buckingham, MK18 1TF
Tel: 01280 822891