What did we do in 2024
We are now owners of two newly renovated properties, which have been rented out to two families with Harpole links.
Free School Foundation Committee
£30,000 funding given to Harpole Primary School to assist with Behavioural Support, Refurbishment of the outside classroom, Hall Floor, Trim Trail & General Maintenance.
£14,167 awarded to Harpole Pre School –
The funding given by us to the Pre School has been used to support children who needed extra support for different challenges in life.
The Pre School were able to commission an occupational therapist to assess children to support their EHCP (Education & Health Care Plan) – reports and assessments done at this early age, result in the relevant support being given when the children attend mainstream school or a school with special provision. The staff have been able to access further training, to support the children further.
In addition to this the Pre School were able to hire a speech and language therapist to support 8 children to have weekly support for 6 months.
They were able to commission a play therapist to support between 12 to 20 children throughout the year in different areas including confidence, cognitive learning and sensory regulation.
14 students awarded an Educational Grant to support them with their University Studies.
The Family Support Hub in the Youth Club received some funding to assist with their workshops.
All forms of education will be considered, and education grants are NOT means tested.
Harpole Charities Committee
£27,500 given to residents to help in their day to day living
£17,000 awarded overall for the Annual Christmas Grants
£18,400 awarded for assistance with Fuel bills
All grants are considered on an individual basis – if you need help then we may be able to help – so get in touch.
The following grants are means tested:
Christmas grants for over 65-year-olds, Fuel bill assistance for all households experiencing financial difficulty are available to those who have lived in the Parish for 7 years or more.
Helping Hands grant – do you need a helping hand with your day to day living?
Looking forward to 2025 / 2026
Supporting extra curriculum at Harpole Primary School with funding for Music, PE, and DT (Design and Technology). Supporting Pre School, young people, those in need of a bit of extra help, working with land agents, exploring future needs and anything else that comes our way.
We are owners of a piece of land on Upper High Street, currently we are working to gain access and we will let you know of our plans, when we have more information.
We will be doing some maintenance & clearance at the site over the next few weeks.
Look on our website or get in touch – we are hear to help!
Website: harpoletrust.co.uk
Email: secretary@harpoletrust.co.uk
Phone: 07713153161
A potted history of our worthwhile charities
As far back in time as the 16th century gifts of money, clothing and land were left to relieve the hardship of the poor of Harpole residents. Through the generosity of parishioner’s other small pockets of land were added, expressly given so that the income generated could help the “needy poor” and deserving residents of the parish to see them through difficult times.
The lands were placed in charities and survived to the present day through the good stewardship of all the past trustees. Recent history has seen somewhat faster development and the fact that the charity has benefited to the tune of £6 million is testament to that.
By 1778 when the Enclosure Commissioners (those responsible for looking at common land and open pastures) brought together all these scattered pockets of land under an Act of Parliament for Harpole called the Enclosure Award. The land became known as the Charity Lands.
By letting these fields, the Parish Officers were able to generate a small income which has been used to help many of its residents through the awarding of small sums of money to alleviate poverty and provide help with education.
The Enclosure Award states specifically that two things should happen with the money raised from the leasing of the land.
1) to provide an income for a schoolmaster so that “reading, writing and the casting of accounts” could provide much needed education for the children of our parish.
2) provide for the needy poor.
Since 1778 the stewardship of the charities has been varied. In earlier times the Charity Fund was administrated by the Overseers of the Poor and a committee of the rector and church wardens, known as the Vestry, and then, after the Parish Council Act of 1894, when parish affairs were taken out of the hands of the Church and put to the electorate, by the Parish Council.
In 1939 the Charity Commissioners instituted a Scheme which was called the Harpole Charities, setting out the regulations for its administration.
The Free School Foundation had to wait until 1974 for a Scheme to have its format recognised. It is quite distinct from the Harpole Charities and has an educational focus.
From 1974 onwards both charities were clearly being run by trustees again with the Parish Council stepping back. It was the coming together of these two charities in 2014 which gave rise to the Combined Harpole Charitable Trust, a community interest company still with charitable status and still with the distinct objectives of furthering education and helping people of the parish with financial and /or health needs.
The one clear difference today is that there is a different income stream and a sound investment policy, and the trustees of today are ready to propel the charity into the 21st century and protect if for a further 250 years whilst embarking on some exciting projects for the benefit of the residents of our great parish.
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