Trust hands out cash to schools

DEWSBURY schools were celebrating this week after learning they will each receive a handout of £3,000 from a local charitable trust.
Grant: Cllr Eric Firth gives the good news to Hanging Heaton headteacher Janet Potter and pupils.Grant: Cllr Eric Firth gives the good news to Hanging Heaton headteacher Janet Potter and pupils.
Grant: Cllr Eric Firth gives the good news to Hanging Heaton headteacher Janet Potter and pupils.

A total of £72,000 is to be distributed equally among all schools by the Dewsbury Schools Endowed Trust Foundation.

Councillor Eric Firth, chairman of the Dewsbury working group responsible for allocating grants, said the trust had never before awarded such a large all encompassing grant.

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He said: “But we wanted to help as many Dewsbury children as possible at a time when school resources are being so severely stretched.

“We have told the schools they can spend the money as they see fit to help improve children’s educational experiences.”

The Schools Endowed Trust was set up in 1880 following a series of large bequests from wealthy benefactors who wanted to improve education for Dewsbury children.

The trust now wants more parents and young people to become aware of them, so they can learn how it may help them.

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Councillor Firth said they were determined to raise awareness of the trust, and although they might not be able to support all requests, they would encourage people to apply.

He said: “We have advertised how the trust works and have distributed leaflets, but we are still not receiving the number of applications we would have expected to receive.”

○ Turn to page 35 to read more about the history of the trust and the Dewsbury men and women who started it.