UK Office
The Venkat Trust, which was founded in 2004 by Sylvia Holder, is a UK registered charity (No 1104363) with seven UK trustees and two based in Kovalam.
Sylvia Holder, BEM, Founder Trustee
Sylvia lived and worked in a number of countries before setting up Holder Swan Public Relations in London with fellow trustee Lindsay Swan. It was while in India on a business trip for a travel client that she met Venkat on the beach which 15 years later was to change her life dramatically and the lives of many others. She won The Times Sternberg Active Life Award in 2012 and was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2018 New Year’s Honours for “services to education in Kovalam, India”. She and Lindsay are co-authors of Accidental Lives, how two intrepid women travelled the world, ran an unconventional PR company and set up a charity in India.
Lindsay Swan, co-chair
Lindsay is a London based PR consultant and editor. She met Sylvia in South Africa when they worked for a Johannesburg consultancy and they then went on have their own London PR company for more than 20 years. She is a member of the Independent Monitoring Board for HMP Wandsworth.
Emma Holder co-chair
Emma first visited Kovalam in 2006 and has been a sponsor and supporter for many years. Her background is in financial services and, now retired, she runs our sponsorship programme with Aarthi in Kovalam, as well as the day to day operations of the Venkat Trust with Lindsay.
John Whelan
John visited Kovalam initially as a volunteer to paint the Panchayat School, loved the village and its people, and has been back many times since.
Natalie Lee
Nat works in education and was a Trust supporter for a number of years before visiting Kovalam in 2023, where she fell in love with the village, its people but most importantly, its children. She’s taken part in a number of fundraisers for VMT, including the London to Brighton bike ride, Brighton Half Marathon and running 250kms in a single month.
Frankie Knight
Frankie works in HR for a global law firm and is a proud sponsor of two children. She’s run the Brighton Half Marathon for the Venkat Trust, raising over £2,500. Frankie also has a keen interest in theatre and participates in numerous theatre companies in Brighton.
Helen Bathe
Helen works in risk management for a global financial services company. She became involved with the Trust following a visit to Kovalam, where she witnessed the very real difference education is making for the families in the village.
Our Volunteers
Alex Smallman
Trustee John’s partner Alex is our Honorary Fundraiser. Each year members of her Ubermummies fitness community run in the Brighton Half Marathon and raise thousands of pounds for the Trust.
Sandra Huggett
Sandra checks and reconciles our monthly bank statements and submits the annual Gift Aid application.