Felmersham & Radwell
COMMUNITY TRUST
 
Felmersham & Radwell Community Care

FRCT
Charitable
Organisation
The purpose of this web page is to make public the basic details of the Felmersham & Radwell Community Trust, so that the residents of Felmersham and Radwell can be aware of its origin, its objectives, and the way it is intended to be run.
 
Margaret Alleway's Bequest
 

The late Margaret Alleway bequeathed the residue of her estate to the Felmersham and Radwell Community Care “for their general purposes”. When the estate administration was completed, that residue amounted to approximately £230,000.

Charitable Trust
 

Advice was taken by those in charge of the Community Care organisation, as to the best way to handle and manage this substantial sum; that advice (from lawyers specialising in this type of work) was to incorporate and to register a charitable trust, responsible for the administration of the bequest.
Accordingly, the Felmersham and Radwell Community Trust became officially registered as a charity in February 2004.

The Trustees
 

The organisers of the Community Care, as the original beneficiary of Margaret Alleway’s will, have invited a group of four village residents to be the administrators of the new Trust, and to be registered with the Charity Commission as its Trustees.
The Trustees are Michael Thomas, Jeffrey Stokley, Richard Phipps and Lorraine Shrimpton. They will be responsible for all aspects of running the Trust, which will of course retain its close links with the Community Care.

Summary of Trust Objectives
 

i) to provide help with domestic support, for the elderly, sick, disabled, or those in need within the two villages, in co-operation with other relevant providers of such help; and

ii) to provide facilities for social welfare, recreation and leisure, again in co-operation with other relevant organisations, for the benefit of the inhabitants of these villages.

An Invitation for Proposals
 

The Trust is now looking to fulfil its aims to provide benefits to the residents of Felmersham and Radwell. The Trustees have already started to consider how and in what form the two villages might benefit and they now invite written proposals from interested parishioners, to apply funds within the objectives of the Trust.

Proposals to the Trust should be sent to The Felmersham and Radwell Community Trust, Willow Lodge, Grange Road, Felmersham, Bedford MK43 7HJ.   Grant Application Form (PDF File 214KB)
 

Progress Report - June 2006
 

To date the following organisations have either received or have been granted funding to a total of £44,166:

Felmersham & Radwell Community Care – a donation to cover any expenditure that may be needed by them to operate their scheme within the Parish - a total of £10,000.
 
St Mary’s Church, Felmersham – grants for essential tree lopping in the churchyard; a hearing loop system in church {to comply with current disability regulations}; a path leading to the new parish burial ground; a new nave altar {commissioned as a memorial to Margaret Alleway}; replacement cushions for pews - a total of £9,962.

Pinchmill Pre-School - grant for refurbishment of building - a total of £10,000.

Felmersham & Radwell Village Hall - grant for refurbishment of committee room and toilets - a total of £14,204.
Jeff Stokley

Trust News: New Nave Altar Dedicated
 

The Trust has chosen to record their appreciation of Margaret Alleway's generosity by presenting to St Mary's Church a nave altar to her memory. Margaret was a regular worshiper at the church.


Over the last few years a temporary nave altar has been used in St Mary's Church to assess reactions to this innovative idea. The response has been favourable so this portable altar has been installed which can easily be moved for non-communion services.
 
Trust News: Purchase of land by The Trustees - January 2007
As many parishioners know, the Trustees of the Felmersham and Radwell Community Trust (FRCT) were originally unsuccessful in their bid for the plot of river frontage land adjacent to the Jubilee Lawn. However, all bids were recently reconsidered and we are happy to report that ours was accepted, contracts have been exchanged and this plot of land now belongs to the villages of Felmersham and Radwell, but will be held in trust by the FRCT.

It is a decent size plot and will be a useful river frontage amenity for villagers although a lot of hard work is required during the next few months, such as clearing, cutting, pollarding, grassing and hauling etc! We may be asking for working parties to help (remember the construction by villagers of the Jubilee Lawn, when a lot of hard work was involved but much more was gained in community spirit?) but we will keep you informed!

It is envisaged that the hedge between the land and the public slipway will remain, this is because the Jubilee Lawn area belongs to the County Council and we wish to maintain the separation. Therefore access will be from the road.
Once details for use have been established, maintenance will be provided by the Parish Council but the deeds retained by the FRCT on behalf of the villages of Felmersham and Radwell - a wonderful time for a parish party. More details as soon as we have them.

The land has been named the Margaret Alleway Memorial Garden



Above: The Margaret Alleway Memorial Garden, March 2007

Trust News: Margaret Alleway Memorial Garden Opened - August 2007

The Margaret Alleway Memorial Garden was opened on Sunday 19 August 2007. The land was purchased by the Felmersham and Radwell Community Trust as a memorial to the Trust's benefactor and to provide a parish recreational area next to the River Ouse.
When completed the garden will be managed by the Parish Council. The photograph shows the chairman of the Parish Council, Cllr Peter Hartop, giving an opening address during a lunchtime parish gathering and picnic. The garden was formerly opened by Truus Boyce who was a personal friend of Margaret Alleway. 19 Aug 07

Video of Garden (1.6MB)   |  Garden Panoramic (554KB)
Grant Application Form (PDF File 214KB)

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