A breath of fresh air

November 2019

The pupils at Thomas Russell Infant School (TRIS) are now able to access an outdoor teaching area in the school playground, thanks to a grant from the Barton and Dunstall Key Trust. A sheltered classroom has been created with a substantial canopy to protect the pupils from rain or shine, while learning and during break times. Co-head teacher Suzy Burton said ‘It’s a wonderful extra which will add greatly to the school environment and the learning and social experiences of the children.’ Pictured with Suzy is Trustee Suzanne van Daesdonk and two of the pupils at TRIS.

Barton Mews Key Trust Award

September 2019

The Trustees were delighted to be able to make a grant to the Barton Mews Residents Association as resident Mr Bill Steward applied for help to provide a digital piano. Since moving in Bill has successfully arranged some social events and concerts for all residents but had to resort to borrowing a ‘digit piano’ from wherever he could for artists to perform.

Now thanks to the Barton and Dunstall Key Trust they have their own, available for both residents and any visiting, performing artists in the Mews. Bill says that with their own piano they will more easily be able to arrange entertainment for the enjoyment of all In the photo with Bill and Trust chairman Jacqui Jones is pianist Svetlana Cope (Lana). 

Lana performed the first concert with the new piano and said that it was ideal, just what was needed.   Lana graduated as concert pianist and composer from the Ural's State Conservatoire in Ekaterinburg, Russia.  Since 2002 she has lived and worked as a pianist and piano teacher in England.

For the concert Lana played some popular classical pieces including "For Elize" by Beethoven, "Turkish Rondo" by Mozart, "Serenade" by Schubert and   various pieces  by Chopin,  Brahms, Tchaikovsky and  Rachmaninoff to name a few. It was a great selection with all of us delighting in the familiar and the not so familiar.

The concert was excellent and thoroughly enjoyed by the residents (and some of the Trustees!). The afternoon was a great success and the first of many.

Trust Backs World Challenge Students Experience to Africa's Poorest Country

August 2019

Four students from Barton under Needwood’s John Taylor High School have each won grants of £500 from the Barton and Dunstall Key Trust towards their World Challenge expeditions to Madagascar this Summer, amongst the ten poorest countries in Africa, itself the World's poorest continent.

Seventeen year-olds Jess Jones, Amelia Scroggs, Jacob Newton and Sam Ehlen, all from Barton, joined groups of students from John Taylor High School in the village for a life-changing three week expedition to Madagascar with World Challenge. The trips will broaden their horizons and provide leadership opportunities by exploring different cultures and working on community projects in Africa. Each student has funded their trip by raising £4,500 organising such things as sponsored events, craft sales & taking part-time jobs, as an essential part of the experience gained.

“It's a real chance to make a difference to people's lives in a community far from my comfortable home.  I'm so lucky to be brought up in Barton and World Challenge gives me a chance to help out in a place a lot less fortunate where I can develop my leadership, communication and teamwork skills' said Sam Ehlen who volunteers coaching young players at Barton Rugby Club.

“We’re all very grateful to the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust for the £500 grants that kick started our fund raising” he added.

£5,000 Grant for Junior School Quiet Area

July 2019

Thomas Russell Junior School now has a new Quiet Area calm space for children who want to avoid the noise and busyness of the playground thanks to a £5,000 grant from the Key Trust towards the £12,500 cost funded substantially by the Friends of TRJS together with a small grant from Punch Taverns.  It replaces the original Quiet Area installed more than sixteen years ago that was no longer safe to use.

Head teacher, Mrs Shelley Sharpe said "Thanks to the Key Trust's splendid support we've created a calm and welcoming play area space including bench seating, sensory planters, all weather traditional board games and musical chimes that enhance facilities for our children in school and visitors that come to support village events".  

"We now have a quality product fit and safe for purpose that will withstand up to 250 children using it on a daily basis!" she added.

Children seen at the grant presentation with Mrs Shelley Sharpe & Trustee Mrs Julie Skinner from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust commented on the new area:  Jessica 'I like spending time with my friends in the sensory garden, my favourite plant is the mint'.  'Flags and spinners make it look really pretty' Harry.  'Its quite peaceful, a good place to go when you want to be calm away from the playground' said Thomas.

Margaret Retires from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust

June 2019

Life-time resident of Barton under Needwood, Margaret Fitchett, has retired from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust after twelve years as a Trustee.

As a churchwarden for twenty-five years at St James' Parish Church in Barton, Margaret became an ex-officio trustee of the Key Trust when it was set up out of the former Eleemosynary and Pinners Patch Charities in 2007.  Prior to that Margaret was a trustee of several other village charities and remains active at Barton's Gardening Guild and the village Civic Society. Her recent retirement as churchwarden means her role as a trustee has come to an end at the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust.

‘Margaret’s local knowledge and long experience of village life has been a great asset to the Trust and we will all miss that. We are grateful for all the help and support she has given to the Key Trust over many years’ said Jacqui Jones, Trust chairman.  'We'll miss her quiet advice and we wish her well' added Jacqui. Jacqui Jones is pictured presenting flowers and a Garden Centre voucher to Margaret Fitchett on her retirement from the Trust.

Barton's Vicar Recieves Ten Shillings for Preaching Historic Good Friday Sermon

June 2019

Barton & Dunstall Key Trust, successors to the 17th Century gift of William Key, is maintaining the condition of his bequest that  the Vicar of Barton should be paid ten shillings yearly to deliver a sermon on Good Friday.

This year's sermon, the 368th. since the death of William Key in 1651 was preached at St James' Parish Church in Barton under Needwood by the Rev. Andrew Ridley, vicar of Barton, and he was presented with a ten bob note by Key Trustee Dr David Okoye. It is believed that this tradition is one of the oldest of its kind surviving in Britain.

When the numerous charities of Barton & Dunstall were reformed into the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust in 1972 there was an opportunity to bring the value up to date but Trustees honoured William Key's covenant & memory  by maintaining the payment at the 1651 sum. Present day value of ten shillings, allowing for inflation varies between £58 and nearly £1,000 if it is related to present average earnings.  

Andrew Ridley said "It's a wonderful tradition but it makes me wonder why it was thought necessary to have to pay the Vicar of Barton what was then quite a tidy sum to deliver a Good Friday sermon - what was going on all those years ago?"  

William Key, 17th century landowner and keeper of the Barton Ward of Needwood Forest, died on 10th October 1651 aged sixty-nine. He left various plots of land the rents of which were to be distributed to the poor of the villages of Barton under Needwood and Dunstall. Over the years some have been sold, including that now under the Barton Business Park, and investments now produce the majority of the Trust's income. Some land  remains in the safekeeping of the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust most notably the Trust's allotments in Dogshead Lane .

Barton Guides Supported to Represent Staffordshire at International Camp

June 2019

Lucy Williams, Libby Hudson and Emily Tricker all Girl Guides from Barton have learnt new skills, developed their confidence and communication skills and discovered new cultures at an international camp in Switzerland this year thanks to grants from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust to top up the funds each have raised for their travel, accommodation and trip fees of £1,000.

Libby Hudson, has been involved with girl guiding since she was five - in Rainbows, Brownies and now as a Guides leader at Brownies whilst Emily Tricker has volunteered at Barton's Rainbow unit as part of her Duke of Edinburgh's Bronze Award.  Both  worked as part of a team preparing meals and keeping the Guides house in Switzerland  in order. Lucy Williams, who is studying French & German at school, was also able to practice her language skills and all three girls made many new international friends.

Also pictured at the grant cheques presentation by Jacqui Jones, Key Trust chairman, was Sophie Williams who was assisted by the Trust to attend a similar Swiss camp in 2017. 'I had an amazing time learning about Swiss culture, visiting traditional Swiss towns and making many new friends.  Most memorable was visiting the Guides 'Our Chalet' established in 1932 by the World Association of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts in a beautiful valley on the outskirts of Adelboden in the Bernese Oberland' said Sophie.

Trust Awards Grant for Duke of Edinburgh Award Student

May 2019

Sixteen year old William Warren from Barton and a student at Lichfield's Maple Hayes Dyslexia School was supported with a £175 grant to cover the cost of an expedition  that's an essential part of completing his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award  helping him improve his social, organisational and navigation skills.   'As part of the Award requirements I have already 'kitted myself out' from my pocket money, learning the value of such an adventure and how to be thrifty, and completed two practice expedition weekends' said William .

Additionally he has spent three months volunteering at Barton Library, moved up two junior grades to Brown in Akido and used six months of Saturdays voluntarily studying towards an extra GCSE in Religious Education.   'I have used my own resources to forge away to a goal quietly and without fuss, conquering or sufficiently masking my dyslexia in the process building my own self-esteem and I'm most grateful for the Trust's grant' William added.

 Adrian Wedgwood, trustee of the Key Trust, seen presenting the grant cheque to William said 'William's determination to succeed and conquer his disability is a great credit to him and a terrific example to young people from whom the Trust are happy to receive applications for grants of up to £500 for extra-curricular activities that support personal development'. 

Girl Guiding New Development Programme Resources Funded by Key Trust

April 2019

In Barton the Needwood Division of Girl Guiding runs two Rainbow , three Brownie and one Guide units providing places to around 140 girls from our Community aged between five and fourteen. All are run by a team of dedicated volunteers.

Girl Guiding, the national organisation, has recently implemented a new development programme requiring a new  book for each girl and other essential resources needed by the volunteers to deliver the programme. It is aimed at broadening girls experience, gaining new skills and confidence.

'Buying these books and associated materials at a cost of £2,658 would seriously deplete our funds that are available for other activities  and we are most grateful to the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust for their grant to fund this' said Lorraine Brant, leader 1st. Barton Brownies.

Trustee Susanne van Daesdonk from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust, pictured with many of the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides commented 'We are delighted to support these flourishing units that deliver such excellent programmes for girls in our Community'.

Key Trust Supports Employability Programme Pilot for John Taylor High School Students

March 2019

Last Autumn we supported John Taylor High School with a £1,650 grant for a pilot programme to benefit students who may not be intending to study in Higher Education. This is increasingly important as more and more 6th Form students seek to move into Higher Level Apprenticeships or employment upon completion of their A-Level studies. The Employability Skills Programme was specifically designed to provide students aged 15 – 19 with the generic skills that every employer would want to see in a new recruit to their organisation. The programme seeks to develop these essential skills through workshops delivered off site at the suitably formal environment of Branston Pavilion.

Workshops were delivered by Prof. Jo Andrews in a structured but informal and highly interactive manner. They were delivered as two half day sessions with a period of reflection time between the sessions. The Employability Skills explored through basic principles, examples and case studies were:
- Communication and Presentation Skills
- Team Building and Team Working Skills
- Leadership Skills
- Managing Projects and Managing Events
- Constructing an original personal statement and CV
- Interviewing for Success

Surveyed after the Course all the students felt that the course had been personally worthwhile. This is a resounding endorsement of the pilot. The students did not know what to expect from the course and many had commented on how impressed they had been with its format and content. All the students felt that their Employability Skills had been developed as a result of the course. 93% of the students would definitely recommend the course to other 6th Form students.

James Twynham, deputy head of John Taylor High School said 'We are most grateful to the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust for its grant of £1,650 that enabled us to run this pilot programme the success of which means that we intend running two programmes in 2019'.

Adrian Wedgwood, Trustee of the Key Trust, seen presenting the Trust's cheque to Mr Twynham watched by students and visiting lecturers commented 'We're delighted to support this excellent extra-curricular personal development programme that clearly benefits students and their potential employers'.

£6,000 Grant Provides New Furniture for Young People at Barton Library

February 2019

Encouraging, inspiring, encouraging and supporting a love of books and reading is a key objective of Barton Community Library now run by volunteers who have been supported by a £6,000 grant from the Barton & Dunstall Key Trust to buy new furniture.

Run entirely by volunteers since May 2016 Barton Library is supported by Staffordshire County Council and the Staffordshire & Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust but has to fund improvements and other running costs.

'Our overall aim is always to make the library a warm & welcoming place for the whole community.  We have rekindled relationships with local schools, nurseries and pre-school groups and are most grateful to the Key Trust for the £6,000 grant for shelving, tables, chairs and cushions that has created a more vibrant and stimulating environment for our young people who are the future for the Community Library' said Marilyn Davis library co-ordinator.