Berkeley Parochial Trust - financial help to people in need The Berkeley Parochial Trust exists to offer help to people in need that live within the five Berkeley Area Parishes: Berkeley; Alkington; Hamfallow, Hinton and Ham. The Trustees of the Charity are representatives from these Parishes and can be contacted through their councils. The Trust was originally founded in the 19th century as The Church Poor charity .Over time it has evolved and help does not depend on any particular religious ties.
The Trustees meet four times a year to decide upon applications, although it is possible for more urgent cases to be helped between meetings.
Examples of help awarded previously, have included: contributions towards heating/utility costs for the seriously ill; carpets or other essential household items bought for families where income is too low to be able to afford them; help with school uniform/shoes; the purchase of a disability aid that could not be acquired by other means.
If you, or someone you know is in financial difficulties or is ill and in need of some financial help please contact our clerk or a council representative trustee. We will need to know name, address and phone number, brief details of the circumstances, and exactly what financial award is needed and for what purpose. Proof of the use of any award is always required.
All applications are handled with discretion, without judgement, and are entirely confidential.
Hamfallow Parish Council representation responsibility: Cllr Heather Priestley
Berkeley Grammar School Educational Fund This small Charity has been in existence in various forms, for well over 100 years.
Nowadays it is run by governors who are representatives of the local Berkeley parishes and town councils, it distributes small grants to individuals and organisations with an educational link to those parishes.
The criteria for individual eligibility are: 1. Residence in one of the five parishes (Alkington; Berkeley; Hamfallow; Ham and Stone; Hinton.) 2. Attendance at a state school within those parishes for at least 3 years and 3. (An individual) is embarked on a course of further or higher education.
Once eligibility is confirmed then grants are looked at on a merit to merit case. Meetings are held just once a year in December and applications are normally decided upon then. Occasionally grants can be made at other times in the year to an individual considered to be in more urgent need. All applications are treated with discretion and in confidence. Acknowledgement of receipt of a grant, and details of what it is spent on is always required.
Applications should be made by the student themselves (except in cases of disability when a representative may apply on their behalf if necessary) A name, address and phone number, plus details of eligibility as well as information as to how any grant is to be spent, is required.
Hamfallow Parish Council representation responsibility: Cllr Steven Chandler
Citizens Advice Citizens Advice run a weekly drop-in centre at Berkeley Town Hall for all local residents including Hamfallow, from 1-3pm on a Wednesday afternoon and there is also a phone line available from 10am-4pm Monday - Friday: 0808 8000510. The national Citizens Advice website can be found here.
Neighbourhood Warden Simon Moulding works closely with the local police and support officers, assisting with local community issues. You'll find him on local foot patrols, visiting the elderly in Jenner Court and Hamfallow court, dealing with reports of anti-social behaviour, picking up litter and cleaning graffiti too! simon.moulding@stroud.gov.uk 07896 690139 Follow the work of the Wardens on twitter @sdc_wardens
Village Agent Penny French is our local agent, who is available to lend support to anyone aged 50 and over. Penny covers the parishes of Alkington, Berkeley, Cam, Ham & Stone, Hamfallow, Hinton and Slimbridge 07776 245726 penny@villageagent.grcc.org.uk