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UPDATE FROM CHLOË ANDREWS-JONES, CHAIR OF TRUSTEES
1. GRANTS
a) In June, the Trustees agreed a grant of £1,600 to “Inspire Walworth” (the London borough, not our Trustee of the same name!), to support their “Good Food Fridays” youth club sessions, dedicated to creating a safe, welcoming and engaging space for 11–18-year-olds to enjoy Friday events filled with good food and exciting activities. It serves two of the main social housing estates in the borough; 95% of the young people who attend are from ethnic minorities and 30%+ of the young people in the local area are thought to lack regular access to safe, plentiful, and nutritious food. The grant will provide equipment for youth club sessions and kitchen facilities.
Inspire’s new website is currently under construction, but if you’d like to find out more about them, you can find them on social media channels Instagram and X.
b) The Trustees also reviewed our Annual Grants Schedule, confirming our support for a number of causes that are typically supported each year such as the £3,000 towards the fuel costs of the RNLI’s busiest lifeboat station, Tower, and £2,500 to HMS Sultan to support a number of annual prizes they award, and the costs of their “Super Sentinel Steam Waggon” (boosted this year by the kind donation of a member who attended their Livery Day earlier this year).
c) We have made payments to the charities nominated by the Company’s Military Affiliates Prize-Winners, who I was very pleased to meet at the Affiliates Lunch at Trinity House last month. The lunch was also attended by the winners of the inaugural Fuellers’ Charitable Trust prize for Petroleum Operators, and City University’s Charles Stephenson Clarke Prize, who had flown in from Uruguay to attend the event.
2. PLATANOS COLLEGE
The Fuellers have a long-standing relationship with Platanos College, in Stockwell, Southwest London. Indeed, my predecessor as Chair PM Stuart Goldsmith wrote a supportive letter for them as they appealed a decision to refuse them a sixth form. Happily, this must have helped as it opened in September 2023.
I meet regularly (ideally once a term) with the Senior Trust Leader to share news and views. She told me how welcome everyone has made her feel at the Affiliates lunch, and how proud the Harrison Cup winner Lemuel Oderinde, and his mother had been.
We have pencilled in some dates for the next Academic Lecture series, which will take place early in 2025 and I’ll be in touch looking for volunteers in due course.
Their Cadet Forces, which we were instrumental in helping Platanos establish, are going from strength to strength, growing in numbers, and recently undertaking a week’s Camp, which I expect to hear more about after the holidays. Some of you may have seen a group of Cadets at the DoE Conference last November.
3. ARKWRIGHT SCHOLARS
As part of our Annual Grant Review, the Trustees agreed to support another Arkwright Scholar (the Fuellers’ Arkwright Engineering Scholar) for a two-year period commencing September 2024. The cost of the scholarship has increased a little this year, to £2,875 but this covers both years and is split between the student and the student’s school. Once again, we have specifically requested a state school pupil.
I was invited to participate in the interview process, but unfortunately couldn’t take part. I have put my name down for next year. It is interesting to note that 2024 has seen a record number of over 1,500 applications, with state school applications approaching 60% of the total.
We have recently confirmed our new scholar for the Academic Years 2024-2026. I will circulate further details in due course, along with a request for a Mentor.
4. CITY UNIVERSITY
We have been discussing the opportunities for further engagement between the Trust (and the Company) with City’s post-grad and potentially undergraduate students.
We have agreed a couple of proposals and hope to launch the first event sometime during the Autumn term. Watch this space. The Trustees also agreed to fund attendance of City prize-winners at Fuellers’ industrial events (such as the Advantages). Indeed, two of our winners from this year were at the NLC in May and very much enjoyed the opportunity it gave them.
5. GENEROSITY & THE SQUARE MILE HYGIENE BANK
Few who attended the Midsummer Dinner can fail to have been moved by the Honorary Chaplain, Nick Mottershead’s after dinner speech on this subject, so close to his heart. The Trust has supported his efforts in the past, and I hope we will be able to do so again in the not-too-distant future. This in addition to the physical efforts of some members of the Company at the Master’s Charity Volunteer Event back in March.
Please don’t forget that you can drop off a donation of hygiene goods at branches of Boots throughout the City.
6. HONORARY TREASURER
Sadly, John Bainbridge has had to step down as Treasurer and as a Trustee with effect from our June meeting, as a result of ill-health. My fellow Trustees and I are enormously grateful to him for coming back to the Trust as Treasurer in the run up to Peter Harrison's term of office as Master. Peter, now the Immediate Past Master, has kindly volunteered (or had his arm twisted) to return to the role once again, and rejoins the Trust as an Advisor.
John's interest in and dedication to the Trust, over many years, has been evident to all those who know him and we all wish him well.
In closing, I want to remind you that if you’re actively involved in a charity that might benefit from a grant, drop a note to the Honorary Secretary who will prepare a grant assessment for the Trustees’ consideration.
Don’t hesitate to contact me for a chat about donations, grants, or your involvement!
Chloë Andrews-Jones
Chair, Fuellers’ Charitable Trust Fund
31 July 2024
