Introduction to the Order of Malta Volunteers Perhaps the worst aspect of physical disability is the frustration of being unable to accomplish tasks that most people do not even think about. When you have to rely on someone else to clean your teeth, take you to the lavatory, cut your food up for you, your self-respect can evaporate. Sometimes the greatest problem in adjusting to disability is having to cope with other people's dismissive attitudes. The OMV is there not only to help people with disabilities to lead as normal a life as possible, but also to try and educate the attitudes of young people at a crucial moment in their development. Our success can be measured by the high number of our members who choose to join the caring professions as doctors and nurses, or who go into the voluntary sector. Physical disability does not change someone's human value. We are in the business of making sure that people realise that. The Order of Malta Volunteers (OMV) is a group of young people who volunteer to dedicate some of their time to the care of the sick, handicapped or terminally ill people. We have two principle aims: To provide for people suffering from a range of debilitating illnesses or from social exclusion and offer them the chance to enjoy a break from their normal environment, whether it be a hospital, special school or even their own home. To provide young people between 17 and 29 with the opportunity to gain valuable experience of working with people with disabilities or social behavioral problems. Our work is financed entirely from the voluntary contributions of our members and friends and from funds raised during the course of the year. Founded in 1974 the OMV has developed and grown into an organisation with over 1000 members currently on our mailing list. The 2004 pilgrimage consisted of around 300 pilgrims with over 50 staying in the hospital. Lourdes is still very much our central focus but over the years the OMV has grown and now incorporates a number of other activities, which run throughout the year. Two holiday camps for underprivileged children and those with learning difficulties take place at the beginning of each summer. The camps happen at Worth School in Sussex and Mill on The Brue Activity Centre in Somerset and include children from the Bristol and Crawley areas and are particularly good for students to get involved with. The OMV also provide a delegation for the Order of Malta’s International Holiday camps which in 2004 were held in Sweden. The OMV is heavily involved in overseas work as well as activities in the UK. We have sent out teams to work in Brazil, Nepal and Serbia and provided grants for people to work in Costa Rica, Salvador, Tanzania and Cambodia. We also provide volunteers for the Mission of Charity homes in Romania & Calcutta and the Central Remedial Clinic in Dublin. Other than our annual carol singing at a London Underground station, the White Knights Ball is the chief fund-raiser and essential to our survival. In 2005 we managed to raise an amazing £55,000 to support our activities. Other activities such as the September stage, Christmas reunion, annual newsletter and the monthly Mass all play an integral part in the make up of the OMV. Now in its 31st year, the OMV continues to grow and develop in new directions whilst maintaining all the original beliefs and philosophies that its founders intended it to stand for. Adam Fudakowski Chairman

Registered Charity Number: 1103567