(June 1992) The Town Estates Charity

At the Annual Parish Meeting Peter Baadsgaard gave a comprehensive and informative report on the charities activities for the year ending Dec’91.

The financial details included a twelve months income of some £20.000 this included rents and investment income. Expenditure on insurance and maintenance were approx £2000. Distribution to charities amounted to about $3.400 most of which was spent on our school and in funding the weekly free bus service.

Assets were now in the region of £336.000. Full accounts were always available for inspection. Peter explained that the wood along Tysoe Rd. had been refenced and replanted with broad leafed trees -a long term investment.

The Charity was much indebted to John Gilchrist who had recently retired after 25 years service.

Finally the meeting was informed that the charity was discussing with the Charity Commissioners a new instrument of Government whereby the wording could be altered from “For the relief of poverty” to “For the relief of need” It was felt that since the charity was inaugurated the country’s Social Services had done much to relieve actual poverty although, as often reported in the press the relief of real need was still a social problem in a caring society. Emphasis was made that the trustees were always willing to consider the relief of local need in Sibford Gower and Burdrop but that they themselves had limited means of knowing where this need occurred. It was the responsibility of a caring village to make this information available to our Charity as Peter himself was always available to receive such detail. Thank you Peter for your full report, and for the continued work of all the trustees.