BEARR stands for ‘British Emergency Aid to Russia and the Republics’, which was its role when it was set up informally in 1991 by a group of British women in Moscow. They wanted to help to mitigate the catastrophic effects on health and welfare of the collapse of the USSR and the communist system. The group initially became involved in transporting lorry-loads of medical and other supplies as relief to hard-hit citizens.

As this emergency need lessened, BEARR was set up more formally as a Trust and started to support the NGOs which were beginning to be established in the successor countries. It offered training and cooperation with relevant NGOs in the UK, and ran various projects funded by western governmental and charitable organisations.

Over the next few years BEARR, at the request of its supporters, focused on its role as a networking organisation to facilitate links between the many small charities set up in the UK and elsewhere and the charitable and non-governmental sector in these countries.

BEARR today

BEARR still concentrates on health and social welfare issues, especially the care of vulnerable groups and reform of the ways the state looks after them. The Trust is based in the UK and managed by trustees with long experience of the countries of the region. It has many partners among small and medium-sized voluntary and charitable organisations in the region.

The main focus of its work is:

• supporting organisations committed to reform in the health and social sectors
• facilitating networking and exchange of information
• encouraging sharing of experience and learning
• helping organisations working in the region to identify potential partners
• providing seed funding to help organisations to launch or extend partnerships
• lobbying with and on behalf of organisations that share their objectives.

The BEARR Trust’s aims and plans

The Aims of the BEARR Trust for 2016 – 2020 are to

1. Ensure stable multi-year financing from multiple sources, including foundations, companies and individuals (the Friends Scheme).
2. Maintain an adequate pool of competent volunteers.
3. Develop and if possible expand the Small Grants Scheme, ensuring more rigorous monitoring and evaluation of projects.
4. Expand networking activities, including by organising an annual workshop in BEARR’s region.
5. Ensure that BEARR’s information technology, website and social media presence effectively and efficiently support their grant-making and networking activities.