Artwork: Gordon Wood, 1937-2019
Mottisfont Parish Community Web Site
provided by Mottisfont Parish Council
Thomas Dowse’s Trust is able to make grants to the schools or residents, who are under the age 25 years, of Broughton, Bossington and Mottisfont. Recent grants have been made for things such as school trips, music tuition, overseas educational trips, uniform, swimming lessons, transport to educational establishments, laptops and books. Successful applicants have received, on average, around £250.
Thomas Dowse’s Trust dates back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. By a deed dated 24th April 1601 Thomas Dowse ‘intrusted’ property for the maintenance of a Schoolmaster for ‘teaching the children of the inhabitants of the parish to read, write and cast accounts’. Today, whilst the provisions of the modern welfare state obviate the need for a teacher, the Charity still exists for the purpose of providing educational benefits for young people.
The Trustees meet four times a year to consider applications for grants – usually in March, June, September and November. Any school, organisation or individual who wishes to apply to the Charity for grants may do so by completing an application form. The application forms are available at St Mary’s Church Broughton, Mottisfont Church, or from the Secretary to the Trust. The application form includes an indication of the sum required, and what it will be used for; the need to show that the application qualifies for a grant under the terms of the scheme; that efforts that have been made to raise funds in other ways; and the need to support your application favourably.
The Charity has a certain amount of funds available each year to make grants to schools, charitable organisations promoting the education of young people, and to individuals. The terms of the scheme make specific provisions:
The area of benefit is defined as the Ecclesiastical parishes of Broughton with Bossington and Mottisfont.