Rokpa Trust Governance

Rokpa Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales with the Charity Commission and in Scotland with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

These are as detailed in the Articles of Association:

(1)    To promote the Buddhist religion and to foster non-sectarian inter-religious dialogue and understanding.
As a means of carrying out this objective there is the power:

“To build or help to build and maintain monasteries, nunneries, Temples and other institutions for the furtherance of the Buddhist religion and to provide facilities for the study and practice of the Buddhist religion and to foster non-sectarian and inter-religious dialogue and understanding and to maintain a spiritual environment so that people may live in harmony with each other and with nature”

(2)    To provide medical care and therapy.
As a means of carrying out this objective there is the power:

“To provide all forms of medicine and therapy based on compassion and in particular Tibetan medicine and therapy and to build or help build and maintain hospitals, clinics and other institutions for the improvement of physical and mental health”

(3)    To provide education.
As a means of carrying out this objective there is the power:

“To build or help to build schools, colleges, museums and other educational institutions and to provide educational facilities and in particular education and training in all forms of medicine and therapy based on compassion taking as its main source the principles of Buddhist philosophy, psychology and ethics and to create a working environment for people of different spiritual, philosophical, therapeutic and medical traditions to meet and exchange theory and practice”

(4)    To relieve poverty.
As a means of carrying out this objective there is the power:

“To provide money, food, clothing, shelter, employment and the other necessities of life and support where needed”.

The supreme heads of Rokpa Trust are His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje and the 12th Chamgon Tai Situpa, who are the heads of the Kagyu School of Buddhism and have the power under the Articles of Association of Rokpa Trust to appoint Trustees of Rokpa Trust.

The Founding President is Dr Akong Tulku Rinpoche (deceased), an incarnate lama who founded Rokpa Trust. We are awaiting the recognition of the next reincarnation.

The Abbot / Regent / Chairman of the Trustees is Choje Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche (Lama Yeshe Rinpoche) who is the brother of Dr Akong Tulku Rinpoche. Lama Yeshe Rinpoche is the Akong Lineage holder and is responsible for preserving his heritage until the next reincarnation is in a position to resume the role of Akong Tulku Rinpoche. He is extremely experienced in meditation retreats and is recognised internationally as a Buddhist teacher.

Lama Katen is the Deputy Abbot and is a nephew of Lama Yeshe Rinpoche. He is trained in Shedra studies and meditation retreats and is in charge of the Sangha at Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and all the Rokpa Trust Centres. When Lama Yeshe Rinpoche is no longer able to fulfil the role as Regent and Lineage holder, Lama Katen will assume these responsibilities.

The other Trustees are:

Lama Gelongma Zangmo, a nun trained in meditation retreats and who is the resident lama of Kagyu Samye Dzong London.

Ani Konchok Lhamo, a nun who is trained in meditation retreats.

Mrs Karma Lhamo Cosgrove, a chartered Company Secretary who has worked for solicitors in the City of London and is currently assistant company secretary of Sellafield Ltd (nuclear decommissioning). She is a niece of Lama Yeshe Rinpoche.

His Honour John Maxwell is a retired circuit judge.

Ani Yeshe Zangmo, who is also Company Secretary of Rokpa Trust.

The headquarters of Rokpa Trust is at Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery in Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

There are eight Branches of Rokpa Trust administered by committees appointed by the Trustees. Each such committee has at least one trustee, in line with the requirements of the Articles of Association. Currently Lama Yeshe Rinpoche and Lama Katen are members of each committee.

The Branches are:

Lothlorien Therapeutic Community (which provides accommodation and support for people recovering from mental illness under the supervision of the Care Inspectorate); Kagyu Samye Dzong London; Kagyu Samye Dzong Edinburgh; Kagyu Samye Dzong Glasgow; Kagyu Samye Dzong Cardiff; Kagyu Samye Dzong Scarborough; Kagyu Samye Dzong Surrey; Kagyu Samye Dzong Highlands.

Since Lama Yeshe Rinpoche and Lama Katen are committee members of each Branch, close communication with the Trustees is maintained. The committees are authorised to make decisions themselves but any major decisions or issues are required to be referred to the Trustees.

Each Branch is represented at the AGM of Rokpa Trust, held at Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery every year, to present a report to the Trustees on:

• their activities and future plans, explaining how these further the objects of Rokpa Trust
• financial overview and Branch statements
• conflicts of interest register
• an assurance that the Branch has complied with the policies and guidelines issued by the Trustees.

The Trustees maintain various guidelines and policies, which include the following:

• Adult and Child Safeguarding
• Anti-Bullying and Harassment
• Anti-Bribery & Corruption
• Anti-Money Laundering
• Anti-Sexual Harassment
• Complaints
• Conflicts of interest
• Copyright over teachings given at the Centres
• Gender Identity and non-discrimination
• Guidelines for monks and nuns
• Health and Safety
• Social Media
• Retreats, Teaching, Therapy and Mindfulness courses (various policies and guidelines).

Ani Yeshe Zangmo (a nun) is the company secretary. Her responsibilities include arranging meetings of the Trustees, preparation of agendas, circulation of relevant papers and taking and producing minutes to record the business transacted at the meetings and the decisions taken. She regularly liaises with the auditors, Dodd & Co of Carlisle.

The Trustees have appointed a Finance Committee which is responsible for supporting the Trustees in fulfilling their financial oversight and administrative responsibilities in accordance with appropriate legal and regulatory requirements, and for liaison with the auditors.

The Trustees have appointed a Legal Committee which is responsible to assist the Trustees with legal and compliance matters, including the maintenance of the Trust’s policies and procedures.

The Trustees are not entitled to any salary. They are entitled to be reimbursed reasonable expenses but in practice never claim these. When they have to travel to and stay overnight at Centres, they are given free accommodation and food.

Members of the Sangha may be given free accommodation, food and healthcare if this is necessary to fulfill their Sangha duties. This is given even if they are Trustees and if so, they will receive these benefits in their capacity as Sangha and not as Trustees.

Similar guidelines have been issued to the Branch committees.

The Articles of Association set out some procedures in relation to conflicts of interest. This document should be read in conjunction with the Articles and the Conflicts of Interest Policy.

All Trustees have a personal responsibility to declare any interest that might reasonably be regarded as potentially giving rise to a conflict.

Noteworthy conflicts of interest are set out below. Other conflicts of interest may arise from time to time.

(a) FAMILY INTERESTS

As stated above, three of the Trustees are family related. When an issue arises where there may be a benefit flowing from the trust to a member of their family, those three Trustees recuse themselves and the other Trustees constitute a quorum.

(b) RELATED CHARITIES etc.

Founded by our Founding President were some other charitable trusts with objectives overlapping with the objectives of Rokpa Trust.

Lama Yeshe Rinpoche and John Maxwell are Trustees of Tara Trust, which provides therapy and Tibetan medicine.

Lama Yeshe Rinpoche is a trustee of Samye Foundation Wales, which provides facilities for meditation.

Lama Yeshe Rinpoche and Lama Katen are Trustees of Akong Labrang (together with Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche). Lama Yeshe Rinpoche, Lama Katen and Mrs Karma Lhamo Cosgrove are Trustees of Akong Labrang UK. These trusts are to the furtherance of the Akong Lineage.

Some of the Trustees are also Trustees of certain overseas charities however this is not considered to be relevant and only UK charities are listed herein.

Due consideration has been given by the Trustees as to whether there is a conflict of interest with certain Trustees sitting on these related trusts. The Trustees have concluded that there is no conflict because the relationship between Rokpa Trust and these other trusts is essentially one of collaboration for mutual benefit. However, it is recognised that the relationship may give rise to conflicts of interest in the future in which case the relevant Trustees will recuse themselves from the decision-making process.

None of the Trustees have any relevant business interests.

(c) FRIENDS OR BUSINESS ASSOCIATES

The Trustees are aware that there could be a conflict of interest if they grant contracts or other benefits to friends or business associates.

At every meeting of the Trustees they must state whether there is a conflict of interest arising relating to the matters to be discussed at the meeting and if there is a conflict the Trustees must resolve how to deal with it.

The Trustees must submit an annual declaration of their actual or potential conflicts of interest. This declaration must be recorded in the relevant Trustee meeting minutes and in a Register in a prescribed form.

At least once in every 12-month period all Trustees must review the information relating to them contained in the register of interests and declare that the information is correct or make a further declaration if necessary.

The Trustees are committed to continuing training about and awareness of their duties and those of the committees.