The objective of RMSA from its foundation in 1904 has been to provide grants for Readers, or their equivalent, training for ordained ministry in the Anglican Church overseas. In the early days of the association grants were principally to Readers from Great Britain who would serve the Church in distant lands – because there are now official grants in this country which didn’t exist in those days we now invariably make grants to Reader ordinands in less affluent lands. Because of the poverty of many overseas dioceses in many cases our grants provide the life-line to ordination training.

Applications for grants are received together with the recommendation of the applicant’s Bishop or College Principal and supported by a copy of the Readers’ Licence or Admission Certificate. We endeavour to correspond with those we support throughout the year. At the time of writing (July 2007) RMSA has assisted 479 Readers in their training for ordination studying in over 70 colleges and over 100 different parts of the world, from Antigua to the Arctic – Zambia to Zimbabwe. Once accepted we normally support candidates for the duration of their course so our commitment may last for up to 3 years ahead. Our current grant level of £500pa (2006) represents a significant proportion of College fees in the third world and the increasing number of new applications encourages us to continue our efforts to meet this high demand. The level and number of grants made is agreed by the Annual General Meeting held during the Selwyn Readers’ Course at the beginning of August each year.

Since our centenary in 2004 the number of candidates supported each year has risen from 42 to 44; in 2006 we reluctantly had to refuse support to a number of applicants in order to be sure we could meet existing commitments. Our principal income derives from the chapel collection taken during the Readers’ Selwyn Course, Diocesan Readers Boards, and Deanery Associations, Parochial Church Councils of parishes appreciative of the services of their Readers, and from the personal gifts of Readers and others. Many of these gifts are made regularly and donors authorise the Association to re-claim Income Tax from the Government through the Gift Aid Scheme. During 2006 the facility to accept secure online donations via the association’s website was funded by a specific donation; gifts made by this method can also be ‘gift-aided’. Bequests and interest on our modest capital adds to our annual income.