The Russian European Trust
For Welfare Reform

The Trust is a registered charity and was founded in 1993 to assist with the reform of welfare provision and social services in Russia and the CIS through the exchange of information and experience, and by providing advice and help for the training of social workers and departmental personnel, and the management of social services.

The People behind the Trust:

President:       The Lord Howe of Aberavon, QC

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chairman:       David Wright

Director of Norfolk Social Services for Norfolk County Council.  In 1992 David worked with Tony Widmer and Antonina Dashkina to set up a scheme for the training of ex-army officers as social workers.  Following the success of two pilot social work projects, the Russian European Trust was founded.  David Wright has continued to give his time freely to the Trust and has been its Chair since its foundation.

Vice Chairman:      Lady Jill Braithwaite

Jill became involved in the early work promulgated by Antonina Dashkina and Tony Widmer in the early 1990s.  Jill lived in Moscow for eight years and her husband, Sir Rodric Braithwaite, was British Ambassador to Russia for four years.   With ensuing changes in the Russian political system, Jill became committed to working with the Russian people to ensure there was adequate welfare provision.  She became a Trustee at the inception of the Trust. She is a fluent Russian speaker and has been Vice Chair of the Trust for eight years.

She continues to work hard for the Trust and makes an extremely valuable and active contribution through her knowledge and personal experience.

British Director:    Tony Widmer

Tony has been a social worker for more than 30 years.    He worked as a social worker in Suffolk and Norfolk, becoming Manager responsible for services for disabled people.  He began developing links with Russia in 1991, launching  projects there in 1992 and co-founded the Russian European Trust in 1993.

Trustees:         Terence Bamford
                           Henry Bellingham MP
                           Paul Goggins MP
                           David Hinchliffe MP
                           Adrian Longley OBE
                           Molly Meacher
                           Rae Swindley

Russian Director:   Dr. Antonina Dashkina

Antonina obtained a degree in English at the Moscow State Pedagogical University, became a community worker in the 1980s and subsequently a Doctor of Social Work.  She worked in the faculty of Pedagogical Sciences and became a lecturer on international social services at Moscow Pedagogical University.  She has wide international experience and has worked on programmes administered from the UK since 1992.  She co-founded the Russian European Trust in 1993.In 2001 she became president of the Russian Union of Social Work, thanks to her vast contribution to the development of Social Work as a profession in Russia.

THE RUSSIAN EUROPEAN TRUST, South Bank Technopark, 90 London Road, London SE1 6LN

London:      Tel/Fax:  020 7813 0244  
                       email:     ruseurotrust@dial.pipex.com

Moscow:     Tel:          007 095 220 9105    Fax:  007 095 928 5421
                       email:     ruseurotrust@mtu-net.ru

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