Ocean Stars Lanka
Carry our work in Sri Lanka
Naomi Booth :: Saturday 3rd June 2023 :: This Story
Ocean Stars Trust UK is closely linked to Ocean Stars Lanka, who carry out the work of OST on the ground in Sri Lanka. The Ocean Stars Lanka Team is managed by a Committee who meet every quarter to discuss governance, strategy, projects, finance and progress. The committee met recently at our office in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.
Looking forward to...
...the award ceremony
Naomi Booth :: Friday 26th May 2023 :: This Story
We are looking forward to 8th June 2023, when we will attend the Charity Governance Awards, for which Ocean Stars Trust has been shortlisted in the category 'Improving Impact' for small charities.Banana trees
Now producing snacks
Naomi Booth :: Wednesday 24th May 2023 :: This Story
Our students planted banana trees two years ago and now the trees are producing bananas.
Parents help with our preschool gardens and come in during the holidays to water the plants.
The teachers pick the ripe bananas and the students enjoy eating the bananas as their mid-day snack.
Colour and textures
As part of creative development
Naomi Booth :: Monday 22nd May 2023 :: This Story
Creative Development is one of the areas of our Ocean Stars Assessment Tool. Recently our students were looking at colours and learning about textures. They looked at leaves and talked about the textures being smooth, shiny or rough. Our students also enjoyed being creative and making hats out of leaves!
Secondary School Sri Lanka Visit
Would your school be interested
Naomi Booth :: Friday 19th May 2023 :: This Story
The Head of Music at Calthorpe Park School, Mr Ross Walker, is one of the teachers who accompany the groups of 25 students who visit Sri Lanka with Ocean Stars Trust. CPS have visited Sri Lanka six times and plans are underway for their seventh visit in October 2023.
in Batticlaoa and the surrounding villages and the school bands are often invited to opening ceremonies and official functions.Ocean Stars Trust has been shortlisted for the UK-wide Charity Governance Awards 2023
It is in the running for the ‘Improving Impact in Small Charities’ award
Naomi Booth :: Monday 15th May 2023 :: This Story
Ocean Stars is one of 15 charities from across the UK that has already secured £1,000 in unrestricted grant funding for making it onto the shortlist.
Ocean Stars joins other nominated charities engaged in a diverse range of activities including mental health research, horticultural therapy, education and mentoring for disadvantaged young people, employment support for refugees, and affordable law services for women. The winners will be announced on 8 June at a live ceremony in London.
A place on the shortlist has also secured the charity a paid one-year membership to the Association of Chairs for their board, and a complementary training place on a Cause4 Trustee Leadership Programme for new members of their boards.
Deepak Nambisan, who chairs the Awards for the organisers The Clothworkers' Company, said, "What is of particular note this year is that, aside from the two award categories specifically for the sector's smallest charities, over half of nominees across all categories are small charities employing fewer than 30 people. This shows that even when funds and other resources are limited, if there is ingenuity, foresight and commitment among the people – from the trustees to those 'on the ground' – then any charity can achieve remarkable things.
"Congratulations to all our shortlisted charities – yet again, the high quality of entries provided plenty of debate around the judging tables, but also plenty of inspiration for the whole sector."
For the Charity Governance Awards, The Clothworkers' Company – a City of London livery company that supports trusteeship initiatives – is partnered with not-for-profit consultancy NPC (New Philanthropy Capital), third sector recruitment specialists Prospectus, and the trustee-matching charity Reach Volunteering.
You can follow the awards on Twitter via @CharityGovAward or by using the hashtag #CharityGov23. Winners will be announced on the website following the ceremony in June – for more information on the shortlist, past winners and more, visit www.charitygovernanceawards.co.uk.
Preschool annual markets
Helping preschool students learn
Naomi Booth :: Sunday 14th May 2023 :: This Story
Ocean Stars Trust runs 30 preschools in Sri Lanka with over 1000 students accessing Early Education. Most of our preschools are located in remote villages and would otherwise not have had an Early Years education.
Parents and students are encouraged to organise an annual market and sell their own produce. The students learn about vegetables and fruit. They also learn about money and the process of buying and selling. Here are some photos of markets that were held recently. These markets are open to the whole village or community.
2023 Academic year begins
For our preschools
Naomi Booth :: Monday 3rd April 2023 :: This Story
The new academic year in Sri Lanka started on Monday 27th March 2023 and our staff in Sri Lanka have been busy distributing new uniforms and school bags to the 1000+ students who attend our Ocean Stars Preschools.
Our students love their uniforms. It gives them a sense of belonging and they wear them with pride. A uniform costs £8.50 and a school bag costs £5.00.
Why not challenge yourself to give up something for a month and donate the cost of a uniform and school bag to Ocean Stars Trust? Follow the links for details about helping our work and how to donate.
Thanks to Mega Malai 2023
Fund-raising for Ocean Stars
Naomi Booth :: Saturday 1st April 2023 :: This Story
Ocean Stars Trust would like to extend a huge thank you to Imperial College Tamil Society for choosing Ocean Stars Trust as one of their two chosen charities to benefit from the proceeds of their flagship event the Mega Malai 2023. It was held at the Troxy in London on Sunday 5th March and was an unforgettable evening of Tamil music and dance.
The support from Imperial College Tamil Society enables us to carry out our work empowering children through education in Sri Lanka. Thank you to the Committee for supporting Ocean Stars Trust.
Could you be our next Trustee?
We are looking for an International Development Trustee...
Naomi Booth :: Tuesday 21st March 2023 :: This Story
We are inviting new Volunteer Trustees to join our Trustee Board.
Do you have experience in the following area?
Finance/ Education/ Social Media/ Admin/ Fundraising/ Passion for Sri Lanka?
Please see the full advert here and contact us now at oceanstarstrust@gmail.com with your contact details
if you would like to chat with us informally.
Or contact our Chair John Bunter on 07977591883.