{"id":23,"date":"2026-04-04T19:47:50","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T19:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2026-07-20T12:48:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T11:48:35","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/?page_id=23","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0;min-height:25vw;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"247\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-1667 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2110172336-e1781873806610-1024x247.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2110172336-e1781873806610-1024x247.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2110172336-e1781873806610-300x72.jpg 300w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2110172336-e1781873806610-768x185.jpg 768w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2110172336-e1781873806610-1536x371.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2110172336-e1781873806610.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-black-background-color has-background-dim-20 has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-cover-is-layout-9b47c543 wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-palette-color-8-color has-text-color has-link-color has-merriweather-font-family wp-elements-7e5e302e2cde9d34fe7e615652107a48 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:clamp(2.111rem, 2.111rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 2.111), 3.8rem);font-style:normal;font-weight:400\" data-aos=\"fade\" data-aos-duration=\"3000\"><br>Building places<br>of hope<br><br><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Us<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the video below, Lady Kira Dalton shares her insights about the charity and her hopes for its future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"max-width: 800px; width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; display: block; box-sizing: border-box;\">\n    <div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%; height: 0; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; background-color: #000000;\">\n        <!-- The URL parameter strings below instantly remove the top-left video info link -->\n        <iframe src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1202497214?title=0&#038;byline=0&#038;portrait=0\" \n                style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: none;\" \n                allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" \n                allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 15px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; color: #333333;\">Video introducing the work of the African Oyster Trust<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We currently support two health clinics, the Sir Howard Dalton Clinic in Jappineh and&nbsp; the Wellingara Health Clinic in Wellingara. You can read more about these two clinics&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/?page_id=27\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"27\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Schools<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-995f960e wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From 2005 until 2022, we were directly involved in building\u00a0 and then supporting four nursery schools, based in Kunkujang Keitaya, Talinding, Gunjur and Jappineh. Since 2018, we have been working closely with our sister British charity,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gambiaschoolsupport.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Gambia\u00a0School\u00a0Support<\/strong><\/a> and in 2022 we handed over to them responsibility for these four nursery schools.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gambia School Support now have direct responsibility for supporting a total of 14 community schools located throughout The Gambia including the 4 mentioned above, which are delivering nursery education to over 2,000 children every year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"312\" height=\"208\" src=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/p1130462_6-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1764\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5000499750124938;width:415px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/p1130462_6-1.jpg 312w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/p1130462_6-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 312px) 100vw, 312px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each year we assess our financial reserves and commitments, and pass any surplus funds to the Gambia School\u00a0Support. Furthermore, where a donor has specifically requested that their donation be targeted for education, we will pass all of their donation to the Gambia School Support to assist them with the funding of one of the school projects. The most recent school project the African Oyster Trust has financially supported is the refurbishment of the Madina Talokoto Nursery. You can read more about the Madina Talokoto Nursery and the other nursery schools we support\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/?page_id=25\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"25\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-995f960e wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">People<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The director board of the African Oyster Trust comprises:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lady Kira Dalton (chair): a long-standing Trust director, Kira is the driving force behind our many projects in <a href=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/?page_id=1906\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1906\"><strong>The Gambia<\/strong><\/a>. Learn more about Kira and the founding of the African Oyster Trust charity by watching the video at the top of this page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Josh Dale-Harris (deputy chair): Josh founded Gambia School Support in 2014 to assist nursery schools. AOT and GSS have been working closely together since 2018, and Josh joined AOT as a trustee in September 2021. He retired from his career with CBRE, a property fund manager, in London in 2017.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Steve Emery (treasurer): a finance manager with a major British plc by profession, Steve has had a strong family involvement with the Trust since its earliest days.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maggie Maybury (secretary): having lived in The Gambia for more than 20 years, and been involved in nursery education, Maggie is a very welcome addition to our board of trustees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>David Bailey (website &amp; email): a retired consulting engineer, who before retiring dealt with IT matters at work for many years. Computing still remains one of his hobbies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"606\" src=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/gambiamanagementteam2017_5-1024x606.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1783\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.6897808173103874;width:420px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/gambiamanagementteam2017_5-1024x606.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/gambiamanagementteam2017_5-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/gambiamanagementteam2017_5-768x455.jpg 768w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/gambiamanagementteam2017_5.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gambian Management Team<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our Gambian management team comprises (left to right in the photo above):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ansumana Manjang:&nbsp;Clinical &amp; Health.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sainey Dampha:&nbsp;Accounts &amp; Finance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kemo Bah: &nbsp;Education &amp; Secretary.<br>Read more about Kemo <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/?p=1549\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1549\">here<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fanding Manjang:\u200b&nbsp;General Manager.<br>Read more about Fanding <a href=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/?p=1541\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"549\" height=\"339\" src=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4231882_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1742\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.6195132434320099;object-fit:contain\" srcset=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4231882_5.jpg 549w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4231882_5-300x185.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 549px) 100vw, 549px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lady Kira Dalton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-995f960e wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"118\" height=\"118\" src=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/josh-sq_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1753\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover;width:172px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Josh Dale-Harris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-thumbnail is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/maggie-maybury-web_5-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1775\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:174px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/maggie-maybury-web_5-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/maggie-maybury-web_5-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/maggie-maybury-web_5.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maggie Maybury<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"108\" height=\"122\" src=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/8896744_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1755\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover;width:168px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Emery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-thumbnail is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"http:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_8519-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2296\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:172px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Bailey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-995f960e wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-995f960e wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To dig even deeper into the founding of the African Oyster Trust, the people involved and the projects they support, you can also read&nbsp;<em><strong>Happy! Happy! Happy!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em>a book about the AOT written by Dee Bixley in 2015. Click on the image below to read or&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.africanoystertrust.co.uk\/uploads\/4\/8\/0\/2\/480254\/happy_happy_happy-lr.pdf\">here<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;to download a copy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-995f960e wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:10%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About Us In the video below, Lady Kira Dalton shares her insights about the charity and her hopes for its future. Video introducing the work of the African Oyster Trust We currently support two health clinics, the Sir Howard Dalton Clinic in Jappineh and&nbsp; the Wellingara Health Clinic in Wellingara. You can read more about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"blocksy_meta":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/?author=1"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"About Us In the video below, Lady Kira Dalton shares her insights about the charity and her hopes for its future. Video introducing the work of the African Oyster Trust We currently support two health clinics, the Sir Howard Dalton Clinic in Jappineh and&nbsp; the Wellingara Health Clinic in Wellingara. You can read more about&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23"}],"version-history":[{"count":181,"href":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3728,"href":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions\/3728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanoystertrust.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}