A Scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 12Th January 1962 which included the Charity known as the Field Rents and the Charity of David, Septimus, and Edwin Bradley
Taken from the Old Trust Minutes
Tuesday 5th March 1963
Mr Jones then reported on the allocation of a sum of approximately £60 for the annual Poor Charity, and in the end it was decided to limit the number of recipients to 80 (including all Almshouse occupants) so that each would get a value of 15/- and the idea would be that new names would only be added in future in very deserving cases so that the value of the gift could gradually be uplifted. It was decided to make the gift in the form of groceries by issue of vouchers which would not be valid after a certain date.
Tuesday 9th April 1963
The Governors then dealt with the allocation of the Ashbourne Poor Charity, and a list of 80 persons had been compiled (including the almahouse occupants) for each to receive groceries to the value of 15/-. It was decided to approach Mr Bagnall, Grocer, to deliver 80 parcels to the nominated persons as it was felt that, in this way, the recipients of the gifts would get better value.
Mr Thomas agreed to approach Mr Bagnall.
Tuesday 2nd June 1964
Mr Thomas presented the revised list for the Poor Charity which amounted to 75 names and it was agreed that parcels to the value of £1 should be sent out to these people and Mr Thomas was authorised to contact Mr R. Edge of Dig Street, Ashbourne, and failing him Mr Smith of Compton Street, Ashbourne, to see if they would be prepared to undertake the distribution.
The parcels continued to be sent out to poor people every year using Ashbourne Grocers
Tuesday 1st February 1966
The allocation of the Poor Charities was then considered and the necessary revisions and additions made to the list of recipients, making a total of 66 persons to receive groceries to the value of £1. 5. 0. each, and it was agreed that this year the supply of the sme should be offered to J. F. Wain Ltd.
Tuesday April 24th 1975
Charity Lists
It was reported that 11 people had been taken off the list for various reasons, leaving 48 people to receive goods equivalent to £1. 50p each and it was confirmed that Mr McHugh should be asked to deal with the parcels as in the previous years.
Tuesday 25th April 1978
Charity Lists – As the Treasurer reported that there was a certain amount of money in hand, it was agreed that the sum of £2 should be allocated to each recipient.
Tuesday 3rd June 1980
Charity Lists -. The Clerk read out the names of the recipients on the list, and four names were deleted, and it was agreed that a sum of £2.50 should be allocated for each gift of groceries
Tuesday 30th March 1982
Charity Lists – The lists had been given out to members and it was amended appropriately and agreed that each of the recipients would receive goods to the value of £3, and Mr Bridge, the Treasurer would deal with this.
Tuesday 29th March 1983
Charity Lists – These were checked by the members present, and it was stated that the sum would be £4 per person.
Tuesday 27th March 1984
Charity Lists – The Treasurer reported that a sum of £96 was available and it was agreed that 23 people would receive goods to the value of £4 each and that Mr Bridge would attend to this.
Tuesday 30th July 1985
Charity Lists – The Chairman stated that this had got into a ridiculous state and after some discussion it was agreed that the chairman and the Rev. Sansum should liaise to try and build up a new Charity List. In the current year there was approximately £108 to be distributed.
Tuesday 25th March 1986
The Chairman advised that he had not included the Charity Lists on the Agenda but asked if the Old Trust had any observations to make following the last meeting. The Rev.Sansum felt it was very difficult to judge who was in real need these days. Concern was expressed about giving to some of the almspeople and not to all the others. The money which amounted to approximately £100 was available for te poor of Ashbourne as a whole. There appeared to be a general feeling that food parcels were no longer applicable. Finally it was resolved to leave the money in hand for the moment and on the proposition of Mr Rose seconded by Mr Moore it was carried that if a suitable case came up for consideration then the Vicar and the Chairman could use their discretion.
Tuesday 28th November 1989
The Vicar pointed out following the decision of the Old Trust at the previous meeting not to take up the offer of the pound gift from the National Association of Almshouses, he wondered if in fact the inhabitants of the various almshouses would be disappointed and after some discussion it was agreed that there were funds in the one charity the responsibility of the Old Trust and that these should be made available to the Vicar somewhere between £2 and £2.50 per inhabitant so that he could make appropriate gifts.
Tuesday 30th January 1990
The Vicar reported that he had distributed 42 boxes of chocolates to the inhabitants of the Almshouses at a cost of £88. It was agreed that we should do the same at Christmas 1990 if the funds were available.
Tuesday 27th November 1990
After some discussion it was agreed that the inhabitants of all the almshouses would again receive sweets up to the value of £2 per person the money coming out of the Ashbourne Poor Charity but that the question of sweets would be reviewed in 1991. The Rev. Sansum volunteered to purchase and distribute them.
Tuesday 26th November 1991
The Rev. Sansum raised the question of Christmas gifts and it was understood by the Clerk that he had made application for vouchers from the National Association of Almshouses. It was agreed, however, that should these vouchers not be forthcoming then the Rev. Sansum was,I in fact to go ahead on the same basis as last year assisted by J. Pekins and A. Forsyth but it was also agreed that the question of such gifts in 1992 would be discussed early in 1992.
Tuesday 2nd June 1992
Some discussion took place with regard to the Christmas gifts and Mr Rose expressed the view that the help should be targeted on specific people rather than spread over the whole inhabitants. It was felt that the Trustees should think the situation over and it would be considered again closer to the Christnas meeting.
Tuesday 29th September 1992
The Chairman advised that the Almshouse Association which previously had given £1 per inhabitant towards a Christmas gift were now restricting the gift to inhabitants over 90. It was agreed that the Welfare Committee should look into the question of how we should deal with our inhabitants so far as Christmas gifts were concerned.
Meeting of the Welfare Committee 6th November 1992 it was agreed that the Committee would recommend to the Old Trust that all occupants be given a Christmas gift up to £5 in value – But it was hoped that part of the cost could be offset by obtaining goods at cost price price eg. biscuits/chocolates, the Chairman to contact Roy Johnson.
Tuesday 26th January1993
Mr Rose reported that the Christmas gifts had been delivered and that he had paid £80 for them. They appear to have been well received. He had written appropriately to Mr Johnson for his generosity on this occasion.
Tuesday 30th November 1993
The Chairman stated that there was no surplus money this year and it was agreed that there would be no Christmas gifts this year.
25th November 1997
In relation to the Ashbourne Poor Charities a long debate took place on the options available with at least £500 of interest accumulated over a number of years.
There was a long debate about which Charity or Charities should benefit and it was decided to make a final decision at the next Old Trust Meeting on the 31st January 2000.
25th January2000
It was decided that Ashbourne Community Transport and the Crossroads charities would each receive £170.
29th November2005
It was agreed that the sum of £200 should be given to Ashbourne First Responders, Community Transport and the Alzheimer’s Society.
27th September 2015
The point was made that there is a sum of £772.00 accumulated within the Old Trust accounts for the Ashbourne Poor and this really needs to be distributed. Some discussion ensued as to how this could best be achieved and it was agreed that further enquiries would be made via St Oswalds Church to try and identify a suitable needy cause.
19th January 2016
It was agreed to donate £400 from the Ashbourne poor Fund to Careline and to retain the remaining £400 so that other worthy recipients might be identified before the next meeting.
4th April 2016
The remaining £400 in the Ashbourne Poor Fund to be donated to Ashbourne Community Transport’
January 25 2022
It was agreed tha the ‘Ashbourne Poor Charity’ should be wound up
Mr Dawson explained that The Ashbourne Poor account contains c.£3366 which will need to be distributed to “the poor of Ashbourne” in line with the original bequests before it can be wound up. The Ashbourne Food Bank and ACE support group were suggested as two possible beneficiaries but Mr Simon Spencer wondered whether either fulfilled the correct criteria. It was agreed that members would try to identify other potential beneficiaries so that a decision could be reached at the next meeting
March 31,2022
It was proposed by Mr Bell, seconded by Mr Spencer and unanimously agreed that the balance of the monies held in the Ashbourne Poor account, which has now been closed, should be paid to Ashbourne Community Transport (£1k) and Careline (£1k) with the balance going to the Ashbourne Food bank.