Casa Delureni - About Us

About Us

Yesterday

In January 1991, the White Cross Mission went to the assistance of children locked away in a mental institution in Romania. The children were badly traumatised and severely mentally damaged by all that had happened to them and for eight years we sent volunteers to work alongside each child, to show them affection and to encourage them to walk and talk and play.

In 1996 we began buying up small abandoned farmsteads on the nearby hillside. We renovated the buildings, employed local housemothers and moved six or seven children in to each home. In their new homes the children have flourished and grown. They are now in their late teens and early twenties and have grown into charming young men and women. Although they are all hardworking and capable there is, unfortunately, very little prospect of any of them finding work in the community.

We believe that if work was available many of them would be able to live totally independent lives. Both the Casa Delureni guest house and our original charity, the White Cross Mission, are committed to giving them this opportunity.

Today

We have bought a beautiful piece of land on a hillside about half a mile from the main road through Romania and we have built our guest house - Casa Delureni - which opened in April 2008. We have also started training some of our young people to work in Casa Delureni and are preparing the farms to grow some of the food that is purchased by the restaurant there.

We are looking forward to this project going from strength to strength. Bookings for the first year have been very encouraging and in addition to the advertised holidays we are confident of considerable passing trade.

Tomorrow

We can't afford to stand still. Charity giving is drying up and we need to make the young people as independent as possible as quickly as possible. Our next step is to build five little bungalows, each to house two young people. We want to do this quickly. The bungalows will be built in an orchard close to Casa Delureni and will be home to the young people we feel are ready to live on their own.

We are also hoping to create small business opportunities which will provide further income and possibilities for employment. Prices are rising fast and we urgently need to put our plans in place now. Our Romanian staff are all very capable and we are hopeful that the profits from these businesses will soon be sufficient to pay the salaries of the reduced number of care assistants that will be needed to ensure that our young people are supported into the future.

Should you be willing to make a contribution to this worthy cause and help secure the future stability for these young people, please send your cheque, made payable to "The White Cross Mission", to : Rev.d Canon Pat Robson, Mill Cottage, Mill Lane, Grampound, Cornwall, TR2 4RU. On behalf of these young people, we thank you for your generosity.

If you are a UK tax payer and would like to Gift Aid your donation please download and complete the White Cross Mission Gift Aid Form and enclose it with your donation. This will allow us to claim tax on your contribution so your generosity has an even greater effect on the lives your money is supporting. Thank you.

Latest News:

Details of the retreats and holidays for 2012 are now here for you to pick.

The Summer 2011 edition of the White Cross Mission Newsletter is now available on the Newsletters page.

It also has details of Ela's wedding to her policeman.

The Church Times edition for 21 Jan 2011 has an article about Casa Delureni. See the 'News and Latest Photos' page for a link.

We can also cater for wedding receptions. See the new Wedding Reception page for more.

Myers Briggs courses and team building events available on request. See the Myers Briggs page for details.

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