Announcing our annual promotional and fund raising evening.

We hope you will be able to join us for our annual promotional evening at The Royal Over Seas League in London on Tuesday, 5 November. As you know, we rely entirely on your donations to fund our conservation work in Northern Malawi. So it is crucial that we update you on that work whenever we can. We’re sure you will agree there is no better way of doing this than meeting face-to-face! Tickets for the evening cost £16. They are available from Peter Lawrance (tel: 01483 714130; e-mail: sec.nvt@gmail.com; address: The Malt House, 50 Brewery Road, Horsell, Woking GU21 4NA). Application forms can also be found at www.nyika-vwaza-trust.org/ROSL-2013.html Please note the change of venue to The Royal Over Seas League this year (we are not at The Royal Geographical Society). Partly this is because the ROSL should provide a more intimate setting for our gathering. But also the new venue reduces the costs of running the event.

Welcome to our new managers!

We welcome Mike and Emma Rutter who replaced Geoff and Patsy Wooles as managers of the Nyika Vwaza Trust in Malawi.

In the UK Mike worked as a Chartered Building Surveyor being one of four partners in a medium sized mixed practice involved in construction and project management. They employed various Architects, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors based in the SW of England before he left to become self-employed about 5 years ago. His experience is with a wide range of construction projects from social housing to royal palaces, hotels and prisons and lots more besides. In the UK Mike and Emma live in a quiet part of Devon not far from Harry Foot as well as close to the Grimshaws  (former UK Trustees) – small world as they say. They run a smallholding using a variety of ancient tractors and machinery, keep various animals grow veg etc – all good experience which will come in useful working for NVT.

Mike and Emma are acting as interim managers until the end of September and we wish them well in this challenging role.

We are searching for Volunteer Trust Managers!

The Nyika-Vwaza Trust is looking for a couple to take up the position of Trust Manager for a term of two years starting on the 1st October 2013.

The Trust Managers are responsible for the day to day management of the trust’s work in both the Nyika National Park and the Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve in Northern Malawi, including liaison with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

The position demands a wide variety of skills, as the managers are responsible for both implementation of the management/conservation programme, and the administration of the trust. By any standards the position is challenging as the camp at Chelinda on the Nyika is in a very remote location.

The managers are provided with a house on the Nyika (at Chelinda), a vehicle and living allowances, as well travel costs to and from Malawi.

If you are interested in being considered for the post please send an expression of interest and CV to Chris Walker, Chairman, Nyika Vwaza Trust. E Mail address: panthunzi@Africa-Online.net


The closing date for applications is 15th June 2013.

Towards the end of 2012, a mammal survey by DNPW on the Nyika showed healthy animal numbers in the areas observed. A sighting of three wattled cranes near the Upper Chilinda Bridge was also good news.

At the end of 2012, work was continuing on the drainage between the Dams 2 and 3 roads, as well as the Runyina alternative route. The first phase of the new staff housing project was also completed. Special thanks to Vincent and Dixon, our local Malawian trainee builders, and to Texon Kapira, our master carpenter/trainer.

Knox Mhango has settled into his new position as administrative assistant to the Nyika-Vwaza Trust up on the Nyika, it's good to have him on board!

Before long, and once the worst of the rains are over, our team's thoughts will be turning to the 2013 works programme ...