Here in Suffolk, UK, days come and go, the rain pours down, the duck family continues to parade around (see previous report), and the Chairs are still meditating, doing puja, chatting, walking and listening to presentations and small groups.

They’ve looked at the work of Triratna’s Translations Board; members of the College and Adhisthana Kula have visited to explain the work they’re doing to address painful aspects of Triratna’s past; and the ECA’s Safeguarding officer, Munisha, has updated them on her Safeguarding policy work and their responsibilities in this area, and plans for developing Safeguarding awareness at every level of Triratna.

(Next training event for UK Triratna Safeguarding officers: 4th October, Birmingham Buddhist Centre, ‘Safeguarding adults’. Book here!) 

They've heard updates from Karuna Trust and Windhorse Publications. They've also set their 2018 budget: how they’ll spend the  £122,000 pledged by European Centres to their central fund, known as the ECA Development Fund. (See pictures for full details.)

Today we’ve heard about the vision of the FutureDharma Fund and plans to raise very large amounts of money to Dharma projects large and small around the world.

Most movingly, in just two minutes they pledged £5000 to support mitras training for ordination at our centre in Venezuela, where government and law and order are collapsing, money has become worthless because inflation is out of control, and food has become scarce. To support the sangha in Venezuela email Vajranatha.