Most of the Trustees of the Bishop Spartas Memorial Trust are members of the Orthodox Parish of the Holy Prophet Elias in Devon, which is part of the Exarchate of Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe.

For over twenty years the parish has maintained a link with Saint Cyprian’s, a country parish in Uganda, largely through Martin Olsson’s correspondence with the priest, Fr. Daniel. In October 2012, a generous friend made it possible for him to visit the Ugandan parish for their Patronal Feast. It was during this visit that he met Dimitrios and Athanasios, young men who were just completing their secondary schooling and hoping to go on to university. It soon became clear that their only hope of realizing this dream was to find sponsorship from outside Uganda and the Bishop Spartas Trust was born.

Martin Olsson (Chairman)

Kirsty Scorer (Secretary)

February 2023 It is with deep sadness that we have learnt of the death on February 7th of Joanna Taylor, one of our longest serving and most dedicated Trustees, and for several years Trust Treasurer. She had been admitted to hospital the previous week for investigations into an ongoing condition, and suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest during a CT scan. Please remember her in your prayers, also her daughter Irene and family and her son James.

May her memory be eternal!