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Frances Blois
Chairman.
Worshipful Company of Firefighters
Charitable Trust
The Worshipful Company
of Firefighters (WCoFFCT),
Charitable Trust continues
to consider applications for
Grants from worthy causes
and support several Fire and
Rescue related initiatives along
with The Lord Mayor’s Charity.
The Charitable world is a
continually changing environment
with the biggest challenge for the
Trustees being able to prioritise
those applications which will
provide the maximum benefit
for the recipients against the
resources available. The Trustees
have considered carefully where
priorities should lay for the
foreseeable future. Therefore, the
Trustee Board have published the
Charitable Trust five priorities as:
1. Young People, Leadership,
Development and Responsible
Citizenship,
2. Education and Research
Projects,
3. Fire and Rescue Heritage,
4. National Charities Associated
with Fire and Rescue and the
Fire Industry, and
5. Lord Mayor’s, Livery Company
and City of London Charities.
Since the last Salamander the
Trustees have awarded grants to
the following applicants:
• London Cadet Leaders Scheme,
• Essex Fire and Rescue Service
(Firebreak) Cadet and Young
Persons Outreach Scheme,
• London Fire Brigade Sensory
Garden at Brixton Fire Station,
• The Burns Camp (Rehabilitation
of Young Persons Burnt in Fire
Related Incidents)
• London Fire Brigade Marine
Cadets (Uniform Provision),
• London Fire Brigade Personnel
and Welfare Scheme (Grenfell
Tower Fire Counselling and
Welfare Provision),
• The Lord Mayor’s Charity
(Improving
the
lives
of
Disadvantaged Young People),
• National Fire Chief’s Council –
Fire Cadets Games 2018
• Greater Manchester Fire and
Rescue Service Museum
• Women in the Fire Service – (UK
Female Fire Safety Education
Specialists in Lebanon)
These Charitable Trust Grants
amount to over £55,000 and
any member of the Charitable
Trust can give more details of
the Grant Awards and what they
are expected to achieve should
Company Members have an
interest. The WCoFF are fully
recognised in each grant and I
am delighted to report that we
are regularly updated on each
project and have invitations by the
respective organisations to various
events to witness at first hand the
work being undertaken. Where
appropriate a Trustee is appointed
as liaison for each organisation and
monitors the progress in meeting
the objectives stated in their grant
applications.
The
Charitable
Trust
has
made progress on engaging
with
recognised
Educational
Establishments over recognition
for outstanding Fire and Industry
Related Projects and Degrees
involving several Universities
and Higher Educational Colleges
thanks to the work of Liveryman
Dr David Crowther and during the
forthcoming months we shall be
evaluating how this engagement
has progressed.
Concern about future Charitable
income exists amongst all the
Trustees as time progresses. The
Charitable Ball which has been
a cornerstone of the Charitable
Income almost since the formation
of the Company just achieved a
“break-even” point last year thanks
to the organisers and the Fire
Industry who sponsored the event.
The Charitable Ball has for some
years seen a decline in Company
Members attending and sadly is
not part of the Company’s Annual
Calendar of events this year. The
Trustee Board continue to be very
grateful to the XL Catlin for their
Sponsorship of the annual City
Dinner in early November that
provides substantial income for
the Charitable Trust. The Board of
Trustees will be shortly considering
a range of fund raising options
that will be required to sustain our
ability to make Grant Awards in
the future if we are to continue the
valuable work of the Trust.
The Vice-Chairman, Graham
Maltby has recently completed
a comprehensive review of
our administration and Grant
Application process which is
now wholly electronic and via the
Company Website reducing the
administration required by our
busy Clerk. Senior Past Master
Jeremy Beech and the Clerk
continue to lead on the process
to secure Charitable Incorporation
through the process governed by
the Charitable Commission.
In the final paragraph on behalf of
all the Trustees our sincere thanks
to Past Master Michael Harper who
has stood down as a Trustee after
many years and welcome Maurice
Heaster to the Board of Trustees.
From the Trust
Chairman Frances Blois
Frances Blois Chairman WCoFFCT