About The Goan Welfare Society UK

The Goan Welfare Society (GWS) is a Charity, founded in March 1983 to provide limited assistance to Goans living in the UK. 

The responsibility for the Charity was handed over to the Goan Association (UK) in October 2004, when the original Trustees had passed away and it was re-constituted with the first Trustees appointed by the Board of Directors. However, as required by the Charity Commission, the Charity has to operate as an autonomous body with its own membership and raising its own funds. The present Trustees are: Flavio Gracias (Chair), Paul De Mendonça, Norma Menezes-Rahim, Alfred Rebello and Rosy De Souza.

Becoming a member of GWS could not be simpler – just complete the application form and a single “one-off” subscription of £1.00. Anyone is welcome to join the Charity – it would be an achievement if we could reach a target of hundred members.

Over the past few years

the welfare work has shown a considerable demand with the numbers of Goans increasing and also with the ageing community needing more assistance. This has put pressure on the Charity because of a lack of funds and also more importantly because more volunteers are desperately needed – as the saying goes “the harvest is big but the labourers are few”.

• In December 2015, GWS with the help of members of the Community raised £15,000 to airlift a young Goan boy back to his family in Goa. He had an acute asthma attack, which caused a cardiac arrest resulting in brain damage leaving him totally paralysed.
• In 2016, GWS with support from members of the Cortalim Union raised funds to repatriate the body of a fellow Goan (who died unexpectedly) to his family in Goa for burial.

The saying goes:

“the harvest is big but the labourers are few”.

Thanks to the generosity from our many donors, the above are some great examples of how the GWS stepped in to provide much needed assistance for members of the Community. We have been involved in other areas of welfare work such arranging funerals and helping families with domestic problems. The work can only continue if we receive continued support from the community.

Registered Office:
The Goan Welfare Society,
“The Firs” 17 Firs Drive,
Cranford, Middlesex, TW5 9TA.
England

Click here to view The Goan Welfare Society Trustees: