The 32nd Annual General Meeting of PPA Visakha (UK) was held on March 22nd at the Rising Sun Restaurant in Sudbury. Dr Kanthi Raveendran , the outgoing president, welcomed the members.
Mrs Mala Polpitiya , Joint Secretary, in her Annual Report highlighted the events of the year. The first was the Founder’s Day Pooja at the London Buddhist Vihara. Dr Harshi Boralessa made an excellent presentation on the life and work of the Founder Mrs Jeremias Dias. The Association also sponsored the highly acclaimed opening day of the Anagarika Dharmapala Celebrations at the LBV.
Mala continued that the fundraising events , the Annual Ball at Sandown Park Race Course in Epsom and Visakha Nite at the Holiday Inn, Wembley were very successful. The Sri Lankan project this year was Emerge Lanka , a registered charity supporting girls aged 10-18 who have been removed from their homes by the Child Protection Authorities due to sexual abuse or its threat and are courageously testifying in court. Visakha is also establishing an annual Health Awareness Day run by medical Alumni . This is open to the community, free of charge, as an expression of gratitude.
The Treasurer, Mrs Mithra Gajraj presented a very comprehensive audited report which reflected a healthy financial situation in the Association. Dr Boralessa in the absence of the bursary co-ordinators , read the annual report sent by them.
Kanthi thanked her committee for supporting her and ensuring a very successful year. Mrs Ranjini Abeywardena was unanimously elected the new President. She thanked Kanthi and her committee for their hard work.
The new President also thanked the Patron Mrs Lakshmi de Zoysa MBE for her excellent contribution as Patron and , on behalf of the Association, invited her to continue in this role for a further three years. Lakshmi expressed her appreciation of their confidence in her but would have preferred a new patron with new perspectives in place. She thanked the three Presidents she worked with during her time as Patron. Welcoming Ranjini as the new President she recalled the contribution that both her husband Gamini and she had made over many years.
At the end of the meeting friends and families of members enjoyed the sumptuous buffet and the dancing that followed .
Executive Committee :
President Mrs Ranjani Abeywardene
Joint Secretaries : Mrs Indramala Dhanaratne, Mrs Mala Polpitiye
Joint Treasurers: Mrs Mithra Gajraj, Dr Anushini Muthuthanthri
Schlarship Coordinators: Dr Padmini De Silva, Dr Poorna Nagasinghe
News Letter Editors : Mrs Piyaransi Gajanayake, Mrs Kamala Samarajeeva
Event Coordinators :: Dr Harshi Boralasse, Dr Chitra Mannakkara
COMMITTEE
Mrs Dayani Gunasekera
Mrs Srimathie Weeraman
Mrs Clara Abayawardana
Mrs Chandani Rekers
Ms Niranjanie Fernando
Mrs Priethie Jayawardhana
Mrs Shona Samarasinghe
Mrs Yamuna Tennakoon
Mrs Chithra Perera
Mrs Shalini R Silva
Mrs Chithrani Pathikirikorale
Dr Kanthi Raveendran
Mrs Mahal Ratnasiri
COMMENT