The Cutlers - The Company Today

The Company\\'s Charities, 2008-2009

THE CUTLERS' COMPANY CHARITABLE TRUST

Last year under the Charities Act 1993 a new scheme known as The Cutlers' Company Charitable Trust came into being and this now governs, within a single charity, those charities formally known as Jane Fisher’s Gift, The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire Welfare Trust and The Stuart Goodwin Charity. The object of the new scheme is the relief of persons resident in South Yorkshire who are in need, hardship or distress. The Trustees may relieve persons in need by making grants of money to them; providing or paying for goods, services or facilities or making grants of money to other persons or bodies who provide such assistance.

In March 2009, after appropriate consideration, the Trustees established and made an initial grant of £50,000 to a new scheme known as The Cutlers' Company Grass Roots Fund, which sits within and is administered by the South Yorkshire Community Foundation. Under the terms of the Grass Roots Scheme this initial grant attracted a matching grant of £50,000 from the Office of the Third Sector. The Trustees will consider making a similar grant in 2010, which will again attract matching funding, and thus it is hoped to establish a fund with an initial capital of £200,000, less South Yorkshire Community Foundation administration fees. The first distributions of income from this capital under the Grass Roots Scheme will not be made before 2011.

In April 2009 the Charity Commission agreed a uniting direction with the Sir John Osborn Charitable Trust under the reporting name of the Combined Cutlers' Company Charitable Trust. This will simplify administration and reduce costs.  A proportion of grants will still continue to be made under the terms of the Sir John Osborn Charitable Trust.

In June 2009 over a three day period, 640 old people were invited to attend a luncheon in the Cutlers’ Hall and received a gift of £10. This luncheon and distribution maintained, for the time being, the ethos of the former Stuart Goodwin Charity, which is no longer.

The Trustees also agreed that up to £5,000 would be available for distribution by the Master of the day to individuals and/or organisations who met the objects of the Charitable Trust and were approved by the Trustees.  Grants were made to the Archer Project, Bluebell Wood Hospice, F.A.B.L.E., Lost Chord, Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, Trinity Day Care Trust, Sheffield Hospitals Trust and Help for Heroes

THE SIR JOHN OSBORN CHARITABLE TRUST

At their meeting in July 2009 the Trustees considered all the applications made to the Trust during the last year and after due consideration made the following grants from the Trust’s modest income:

Mencap, Sheffield - £300
Chancet Wood Children’s Home, Sheffield - £300
Cavendish Care Centre,Sheffield - £300
Trinity Day Care Trust, Sheffield - £300
The Cutler’s  Hall Preservation Trust Limited - £350
Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, Cambridge University - £250

In April 2009 the Charity Commission agreed a uniting direction with the Cutlers’ Company CharitableTrust under the reporting name of the Combined Cutlers' Company Charitable Trust. This will simplify administration and reduce costs.

The grants continue to be distributed under the terms of the Sir John Osborn Charitable Trust.

THE CUTLERS’ HALL PRESERVATION TRUST LIMITED

The Twenty Seventh Annual Report of the Council of Management reports that they had approved grants to TheCompany of Cutlers for the year ending 6 October 2008 totalling £87,350, all for the general maintenance and preservation of the Hall.

This figure includes an exceptional grant of £52,350 to meet the cost of replacing the main central heating boilers. This exceptional grant was agreed following a specific request from the Chairman of the Hall's Committee.

The Council of Management also anticipate receiving advance applications from the Company for grants totalling £35,000 for the year ending 6 October 2009 for the general maintenance and preservation of the Hall.