The Anglo-Azerbaijani Society
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Charitable Projects
Charity Balls in London in 1988 and 1999 raised funds for causes in Azerbaijan to the tune of £35,000.
Events held in Baku in 2000, 2001 and 2002 jointly with the British Business Group, including a Charity Ball raised some $65,000 which went to upgrading the Saray Orphanage in Baku for mentally and physically handicapped children.
Events in 2003, 2004 and at the time of the Baku Oil and Gas Exhibition raised some $130,000 for local charities including Community Shield Azerbaijan, The Leonard Cheshire Foundation, UFUQ and The Burnaby Blue Foundation.
In 2004 the Society held its first Charity Burns Supper in Aberdeen which raised over £9,500 for charity. The 2005 Burns Supper, also in Aberdeen, raised around £10,000 for Community Shield Azerbaijan.
In 2006 the Society’s Executive Committee decided that all money raised during 2006 would be donated to a children’s charity in memory of a member of the committee Mrs. Susan Crouch, who died unexpectedly in 2006. Working closely with Community Shield Azerbaijan (CSA), we were directed to a children’s ward in a psychiatric hospital in the Mashtaga district of Baku, which was badly in need of renovation. From the proceeds of our main fundraising dinner held in Baku June 2006 and a similar event held in Scotland, together with donations in lieu of flowers for Susan [and a generous donation from Susan’s husband Brian], the Society has contributed $80,000 towards the complete refurbishment of this ward. The ward has been named The Susan Crouch Ward in her memory. CSA also coordinated the overall project, estimated at $150,000, which included the upgrade of a second ward at the hospital which was opened in November 2007.
The Society again last year, 2007, raised over $50,000 for charities working in Azerbaijan at the fundraising dinner they held during the oil and gas show week in Baku.
In 2008 approximately $79,000 was raised and this money was donated to Community Shield Azerbaijn for the restoration of an invalid home and computer room, UFUQ for children’s medical referrals, and Saray Orphanage for ongoing restoration work, and HealthProm towards a Safe Childbirth Programme Training scheme.
The Society channels most of its funds through non-governmental organisations who will ensure that they are used to maximum benefit. Together with those mentioned above, these NGOs include: United Aid for Azerbaijan, HealthProm Safe Motherhood Programme, Association of Young Azerbaijani Friends of Europe, RSLSTEEPER (a company producing aids for the handicapped) and the International Women's Club in Baku. Some of the proceeds from the 2004 Burns Supper went towards the refurbishment of a school handicapped children in Gendje.
Lord and Lady Fraser and staff and children at the opening of The Susan Crouch Ward.
