Trust's Grant Helps Keep Dunstall Pavillion Fit for Cricketers

November 2016

Following last Winter's closed season Dunstall Cricket Club's inspection of their splendid pavilion at the Deer Park ground found that water had penetrated part of the roof and urgent repairs were needed to get the building fit for use in the busy cricket season.

Geoff Shilton, Dunstall Cricket Club's vice chairman, said 'The Cricket Pavilion stands empty over the Winter period and our pre-season inspection revealed that water had penetrated the timber & felt flat roof rotting the boarding and its supporting trusses'.

With the cricket season fast approaching and Club funds being at a low ebb the Club appealed to the Trust for an urgent  grant towards the £1,851 cost of the repairs.

Barton & Dunstall Key Trust trustees, impressed with the outstanding contribution that Dunstall Cricket Club makes to Dunstall's community and particularly their coaching and encouragement of youngsters, were pleased to provide the full amount so that repairs could proceed without delay.

Key Trust Supports Barton's Oak Road Play Area with a £10,000 Grant

October 2016

Mayor of East Staffordshire Cllr. Beryl Toon and Trustees from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust supported Needwood Councillors  Julia Jessel and Jacqui Jones at the opening of the refurbished children's play area and a dog walking 'park' on Borough Council land at Oak Road, Barton under Needwood.

Following consultations with local residents Borough Councillors Julia Jessel & Jacqui Jones identified the need to upgrade the existing young children's play area, add new facilities for older children and create a separate area for dog walking discouraging fouling of the playing field and reducing the risk of disease.  

Whilst most of the substantial cost of this initiative was found by the Borough Council the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust supported this worthwhile project by providing a £10,000 grant towards the new play equipment and basketball hoop.  

Adrian Wedgwood, chairman of the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust is pictured with Cllr Beryl Toon. mayor of East Staffordshire, Cllrs Julia Jessel and Jacqui Jones, trustees Rev. Andrew Ridley & Cllr Arthur Kennedy together with Miriam Firth, clerk to the Trust at the official opening.

Barton Student Wins Key Trust's Leadership Award at John Taylor High School

October 2016

Kelsey Grigg, from Barton under Needwood, won the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust's Leadership Award presented at the John Taylor High School's recent Presentation Evening in front of a packed Hall audience of students, parents, teachers, local Councillors and guest speaker Stephen Carter. Former John Taylor High School student, Stephen Carter is now managing director of Hawk-Eye, widely considered to be the most accurate, reliable and experienced Goal Line Technology in the world. It is the trusted partner to many of the world's largest sports federations.

Announced by Adrian Wedgwood, chairman of the Trust, as the final award of an evening of glittering talent, the Leadership Award recognises outstanding leadership in the school's four Houses. In addition being commemorated on the Trust's Perpetual Trophy and on the School's Honours Board the winner receives a cheque for £250. Unlike all the other awards presented that evening, the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust's Leadership Award winner is not announced until the end of the evening, creating a tremendous atmosphere of suspense and anticipation amongst the four candidates and their supporters.

To a standing ovation the 2016 Leadership Award went to Kelsey Grigg, Leader of Sherwood House who as deputy leader had stepped up to the mark when the original House Leader left the school and had demonstrated exceptional dedication to the role including involving her House in the village's annual Teddy Bear Extravaganza. Kelsey, who is starting a three year Child & Youth Studies degree at Derby University, said 'When first I came to John Taylor High School winning this Award and holding the Key Trust's cup was my big ambition and I'm so thrilled to be standing on the stage doing that and holding this splendid cheque'.  'My proud parents, Lisa & Dean are overcome with  tears of joy' she added.

Trust's £10,000 Grant Helps Rejuvinate Barton Cricket Club Facilities & Attract More Youngsters

August 2016

Unusable practice nets and recent loss of qualified coaches to clubs with better facilities have seen Barton's splendid cricket club hit hard times.  Thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust, supporting funds from other sources, the club has been able to construct two new practice nets encouraging more local youngsters to take up the game and providing better coaching & practice facilities for the village cricket teams.

Previously well-used practice nets constructed in 1995 having reached the end of their lives Barton Cricket Club, that's affiliated to the village's popular Holland Sports Club, lost many of their qualified coaches and players to clubs with better facilities. Juniors membership, the life-blood of all sporting organisations, had also suffered.

Now thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust towards the total cost of £25,000, Barton Cricket Club has two new first class practice nets.  "We've moved the nets to a new location close to our splendid Score Box where one net will be available for local youngsters and residents to use and the other will be supervised by the Cricket Club" said Alec Dytham the club's fund raising manager.

Trust £350 Grant Helps Top Topper Sailing to World Championship

July 2016

Fifteen year old Krishan Bhogal from Station Road, Barton, has taken just three years to rise from a novice at Kings Bromley's Manor Park Sailing Club to Great Britain's National Junior Topper Squad and is set to compete in this year's World Championships.

'"I had a go and loved being out on the water, being free, and now sailing is my passion" said Krishan, whose ability & determination was recognised when he was selected from over 100 applicants to receive one of the first brand new Topper dinghies donated by a youth sailing charity.   Featured with his family in last Winter's edition of  'On Board' the Royal Yachting Association's magazine, Krishan is racing to the top of Topper class sailing having finished 47th.in his class at the Topper World Championships at Lake Garda in Italy.   Success at this year's World Championships at Bangor, Northern Ireland, will be going towards his selection for the Laser Radials class in 2017 - a small step perhaps towards the Olympics.  

Sailing is now a family affair, with younger sister Eve having fallen in love with the sport, their father helping out on safety boats and mother taking bookings for Midlands training events.   "I'm very grateful to the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust for their £350 grant towards my entrance fees and accommodation ensuring I can take part in this year's vital events" said Krishan.   Locally, Krishan expects to be competing & be seen in action in the Topper National Series competition at Carsington Water on 16th & 17th. July.

Girl Guides Heading Across the Pond for International Camps

May 2016

Girl Guides & John Taylor High School students from Barton Katherine Jones, Miah Fling and Lauren Harrington have been selected from Guides right across the County to represent Staffordshire and are heading across the Atlantic this Summer to experience life in Canada and the United States of America whilst attending international Guide camps. Katherine, a Young Leader with 1st Barton Rainbows and Miah, a Guide in Yoxall are travelling to New Jersey in the USA where they'll be attending an International Girl Scout camp and experiencing home hospitality with an American family. Staffordshire Girlguiding has had long term links with the Girl Scouts in New Jersey who attend the Staffordshire International Camps held every four years.

Meanwhile Lauren, a Young Leader with the 1st. Barton Brownies will be attending an International Camp in Canada, camping alongside people from all over the World.  Whist there she'll taking part in adventurous activities, a community service project and making new friends whilst learning to be part of a team a long way from home. After the Camp Lauren is planning to visit Toronto and explore other parts of Canada's vast landscape.   Each of the girls has had to raise £1,700 to fund the character building experiences of living and working with Guides with different cultures, faiths and languages from across the World.

Julie Skinner, Trustee with the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust pictured with the girls said 'We’re delighted to support Katherine, Miah & Lauren with grants of £250 towards their character-building experiences across 'the Pond' .

Key Trust's £5000 Grant Supports Early Years Outdoor Area at Barton Infants School

May 2016

Children in their first year and other young visitors to Barton's Thomas Russell Infants School can now enjoy new play equipment in the refurbished Early Years outdoor area thanks to a £5,000 grant from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust.   Despite having been cared for over the years the school's popular outdoor area , used extensively by Reception aged children and other young visitors such as pre-school groups and after-school clubs, was in need of repair and updating.  School funds and fund-raising activities provided new benches and tables but to make the area really attractive to youngsters some re-surfacing of the area with a tricycle track-way and some larger play equipment was needed at a total cost of £15,500.  

'Children in our school's two Reception classes need to spend a good percentage of their time out of our classrooms, so our outdoor area needs to be stimulating and as safe as possible' said Mrs Lisa Farmer, co-head teacher at Thomas Russell Infants School. ' We are so grateful to the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust for their £5,000 grant that's helped to make a fantastic, safe and exciting area on which  for years to come our youngest pupils can play with their friends and extend their physical skills' she added.

Holland Tug of War Club

March 2016

John Moffat, trustee, presenting a cheque to Tracy Kerry (in the yellow coat) and the Holland Tug of War team limbering up for their trip to the 2016 Outdoor Tug of War International Federation World Championships at Malmo, Sweden, in September.  

Founded in 1970 at Barton's Holland Sports Club, Holland Tug of War Club has many national and international achievements to its name and is hoping that, after a Century's absence, the sport will win a place in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Tracy Kerry, Fundraiser & Coach, said 'Tug of War helps men and women of all ages develop fitness, technique, determination, loyalty and teamwork, qualities that are invaluable in today's busy world. It'll cost over £13,500 to send our full squad of men and women to Malmo and The Barton & Dunstall Key Trust's £2,500 grant will support our Barton & Dunstall based team members meet the £700 each has to raise to compete in Scandinavia, a particularly expensive part of the world'.

Trust's Grant Helps England Rounders Team Member Travel to Training

March 2016

John Taylor High School student and Barton under Needwood teenager Lucy Graves (15) has been selected to represent England at Rounders  this season with her first international match in May at Sheffield.

Training sessions are set to be held at venues across England, including on Guernsey & the Isle of Man, and the main team training centre at Sheffield.  The sport of Rounders does not receive much support from Government or Lottery sources meaning that although training is free  team members must pay for their own kit together with travelling and accommodation expenses. Unusually for a first year squad member, Lucy has also been invited for elite training.

'It's a great honour to be selected to play Rounders for my Country and having worked to raise over £260 to buy my England kit I'm so grateful to the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust for their £350 grant that'll help with my travelling and accommodation costs as I train and compete in the sport I love' said Lucy.

Julie Skinner, trustee of the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust, pictured presenting Lucy Graves with her cheque said 'We’re delighted to support Lucy with her terrific opportunity, and will be pleased to receive applications from individuals of any age who live in Barton and Dunstall for grants of up to £500 and from village organisations for up to £10,000'.

Trust's Small Grant Helps Promote Golden Oldies Monthly Sessions in Barton

January 2017

Monthly fun, singing and socialising sessions for isolated and vulnerable people living alone in the community run by the nation-wide Golden Oldies charity are being supported by a £392 grant to help promote, develop and sustain the group that presently attracts eleven regulars.

Meeting on the first Monday of the month at Barton's Methodist Church the group sings popular songs from the 50's onwards that are followed by tea and a chat.  Some present have poor sight and limited mobility. A free 'door to door' transport service is offered to those unable to get to sessions and the Trust's grant will include covering the cost of promotional fliers to reach out to residents of Barton and Dunstall who would enjoy the monthly fun and social sessions.

Anna Everett, the Barton 'Goldies' session leader, said 'Many of our group find it difficult to get involved with the wider community and I've seen new connections being made and friendships developing that are enormously beneficial, particularly for people who live alone'.