Summerfield Charitable Trust - Summerfield Charitable Trust News

Wearable Art Fair Competition and Creative Trade Route Launch. Press release: 23rd June 2019

7/8/2019

On Friday 14th June over 350 people came to Gloucester Cathedral for an extravaganza evening of wearable art hosted by Art Couture Painswick, (ACP) Create Gloucester (CG) and South Gloucester & Stroud College. (SGS).
Please see here for further information.

International Women's Day - celebrated at the Friendship Café in Gloucester

14/3/2019

International Women’s Day was celebrated at the Friendship Café in Gloucester for the first time this year to celebrate women whatever their social backgrounds, nationality, work or financial status, faith or culture.
The number of guests totalled 260, many coming from the immediate area, others from across Gloucestershire and some travelling from even further away to make it to this wonderful evening. Invited guests included working partners, funders, friends of the Friendship Café and workshop leaders. The event also launched ‘Inspire @ The Friendship Café’, which is a new initiative to promote women’s services at the Friendship Café. The ‘Inspire’ committee were joined by 20 volunteers who helped to support the event which has received such positive feedback from all involved.
The evening started with an Aysha special welcome drink and then guests were invited to sign up to their choice of workshop (yoga, rangoli, planting, crochet and dorset buttons) and experience something different. Henna artists were also on hand to decorate hands.
The evening generated a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, with plenty of smiles and a chance to dress up (or down) to suit.
Guests were welcomed by Aysha who was followed by the speakers, Jenny and Bilkis from the ‘Inspire’ team, Bishop Rachel and Amirah Nandla. Each spoke briefly but importantly about issues affecting women today, in this country and abroad, and the need to keep inspiring young women to continue to follow their dreams and help make changes for women all over the world.
Food was ordered from local women who are setting up small catering businesses, and even that was international. We had samosas (Indian), spring rolls (Chinese), Batata Waras (Pakistani/Bengali) and Patties (Jamaican), Quiche (English), Chicken Shawarma wrap or falafel wrap (Syria) and also Maha Blanca (Phiilipines). The ‘Inspire’ team tried to make it truly international to reflect the communities we serve.
We ended the evening with some tips about how to look after ourselves followed by a prize draw. Gifts were donated by organisations, 'Inspire @ The Friendship Café’ team and the Friendship Café staff and friends.
It was a wonderful evening that aimed to inspire women of all backgrounds to be more involved and to be part of a new future for women.

Cheltenham Festivals

10/1/2019

This Year Summerfield sponsored:
Cheltenham Science Festival Lecture ‘True Cost of Humans’
This was a thought provoking discussion chaired by Alice Roberts, Biologist Adam Hart was joined by geographer and geologist Mark Maslin and ecologist and conservation scientist Georgina Mace to talk about the impact humans are having upon the planet, what we may expect to happen in the future and what we can do to reduce our impact.
People chose to attend the event because:
“Very interested in the subject matter and wanted to learn more about it”
“Subject appealed and a strong panel”
Thoughts that people attending the event
“The subject matter is very important to me - many of the suggestions of how to minimise our negative impact on the earth reaffirmed that I already try my best in all respects. The scientific knowledge offered is useful when talking about these issues with others as I feel I have a better understanding after this event”
“The enormity of the situation and what we can do as individuals to help”

The next Cheltenham event sponsored by Summerfield Charitable Trust will be:
The Cheltenham Literature Festival on Friday 12th October at the Town Hall from 6.15- 7.15pm and speaker will be The BBC News Presenter and Author, Mishal Hussain.

Cheltenham Festival’s Gamelan (funded by SCT) being played at the opening night of the Literature Festival

9/10/2018

Cash boost for Sue Ryder Hospice will see more care at home in county

8/10/2018

A substantial donation from Gloucestershire’s Summerfield Charitable Trust to Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court hospice will see more people offered the chance to receive specialist palliative care at home.

The award from The Summerfield Charitable Trust to Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice will allow the charity to expand its Hospice at Home service, so their expert team of nurses and care staff can be there for more people when it matters.
Staff and volunteers at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, based just outside Cheltenham, are thrilled with the award which means it can offer more care to more people in Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Gloucester via its existing Hospice at Home service.

Research conducted by the charity earlier this year showed a preference for professional medical care and support for a long term illness in people’s own homes (65%) or end of life care in their own home (58%).[1] More than 80% surveyed felt that patients should be given a choice as to whether to receive care for a life limiting illness or end of life care in their own home or a hospice building.[2]

Elise Hoadley, Director, Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, said:

“Sue Ryder is incredibly grateful for the generous donation from Gloucestershire’s Summerfield Charitable Trust.

“More people are telling us they want to receive end of life care in their own homes, in familiar surroundings, with loved ones near. We want to be there when it matters for our patients and their families, so we are delighted that The Summerfield Charitable Trust share our vision for delivering more Hospice at Home care across the county.

“This grant will allow us to expand the care that is given through our current Hospice at Home service and along with our inpatient beds and day services, it will enable patients to have a choice on how and where they receive care.

“Sue Ryder’s aim is to give more care to more people and with this funding we can.

“We remain committed to working in partnership with the local CCG to ensure that our developments continue to meet the ongoing plans of End of Life provision across the county.”

Edward Gillespie, Chair of Trustees, The Summerfield Charitable Trust, said:

“Summerfield’s Trustees were most impressed by the clarity and scale of Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice’s ambition. Their funding application has given us the opportunity to partner a project that will have county-wide benefit for a caring service that we know to be exceptionally valuable. We wish Sue Ryder every success with expanding this service.”

Follow www.facebook.com/SueRyderLeckhamptonCourtHospice for all the latest news on Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court’s expanding Hospice at Home Service, or visit www.sueryder.org/leckhampton
For more information on The Summerfield Charitable Trust visit http://www.summerfield.org.uk

Issued by Hayley Clemmens, PR and Marketing Officer for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice email hayley.clemmens@sueryder.org
or call 07773 039984.

Summerfield Trust Celebration at the Gloucester Cathedral Lady Chapel on the 24th May 2018

18/7/2018

Katie Hicks Beach, The Very Rev Stephen Lake, James Millar, Vanessa Arbuthnott, Margaret Brown, David Owen,
Edward Gillespie, Lavinia Sidgwick.

Some Gloucester based charities supported by the Summerfield Trust gave a mixture of performances and talks to funders and supporters of the Lady Chapel project and friends of the Summerfield Trust.

The Celebration was led by The Very Revd Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester

Performances were given by:

Artshape – Via Dance Company
The Summerfield Trust have supported a variety of Arts projects since 1999. The young people with mixed disabilities performed a dance piece called ‘Catfish’, which raised awareness of the dangers of young people using Social Media.

Friendship Café – Street United presents a performance of street dance
The café and it’s various projects have been supported by The Summerfield Trust since 2002. This was the first public performance for Street United, a group of talented dancers aged between 4 and 18 years old. The dance group offers its members people to talk to, a sign help or just wanting to raise children’s confidence.

Gloucester Bike Project
The project is a not for profit social enterprise offering free bike maintenance and bike building courses for young people and adults. A donation from the Summerfield Charitable Trust of £25,000 allowed them to refurbish one floor of their new site.

Maureen Parker (on the right) gave an explanation of the charity.

GL4 Beats performed a beat box and singing set called ‘Strike a light’
GL4 Beat is a free singing, rapping and beatbox group who meet weekly at The Redwell Centre in Matson. The young people get a chance to work on vocal techniques and the venue at the Cathedral provided excellent acoustics to enhance their accomplished performance.

Gloucester History festival (GUST)
Naisha Hussein gave a talk on the Asian suffragette, Princess Sofia. The Summerfield Trust has helped to fund GUST in 2016 and 2017. GUST is a charitable organisation set up by Donna Renney to support cultural development in Gloucester.

Gloucester Music Society
Hannah Talbot-Cooper gave a Flute performance of CPE Bach Sonata in A minor.
Gloucester Music Society has been supported by the Summerfield Trust in order to provide the high quality and innovative concerts its members have come to expect.

11 Local Gloucestershire charities have received The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service

18/7/2018

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work done in their own communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of The Queen's coronation.
Any group doing volunteer work that provides a social, economic or environmental service to the local community can be nominated for the award. Each group is assessed on the benefit it brings to the local community and its standing within that community.
The 11 noteworthy local charities will be presented with their award between June and October 2018:

Art Couture Painswick
Brain Tumour Support
Gloucestershire Youth Mini Bike Project
Home Start Cotswolds
Jigsaw Thornbury
Patchway Festival
South Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Peer Support Service
Tewkesbury Sea Cadets
The Cotswold Voluntary Wardens
The Friends of Bathurst Pool
The Holst Birthplace Trust

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust say Good bye to Charles Fisher

17/7/2017

On the 6th of June 2017, Trustees and friends of The Gloucestershire Gateway Trust held a special dinner to celebrate the Trust's 10th anniversary, and its unique partnership with the Westmorland Family. The Dinner also bid a fond farewell to Charles Fisher, former Trustee of The Summerfield Charitable Trust and Chairman to The Gloucestershire Gateway Trust for the previous ten years. The Dinner was held in the wonderful surroundings of the House of Commons.

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust Dinner to Honour Charles Fisher.

A change to our board of Trustees

1/3/2016

Following the retirement of Anthony McClaren as Trustee in October 2015, we were delighted to welcome Mr David Owen to our board of Trustees.

David was born and brought up in Gloucestershire, studying at Brockworth School, before gaining a degree in Business Studies from Liverpool John Moores University. He spent ten years in the North West working across the education sector and as MD of a start-up, high-growth, training business. For the last fifteen years he has worked in Gloucestershire, first as Director of Enterprise and Innovation at the University of Gloucestershire and now as Chief Executive of GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership (gfirstLEP). He is currently a director of Gloucestershire Voluntary & Community Sector Alliance, South West Investment Group and Gloucestershire Enterprise Limited and is a member of the International Advisory Group of the Economic Development Council. He lives in Stroud with his author wife and two daughters.

David attended his first meeting as Trustee in February. This also gave him the opportunity to me our team of Advisers.
LINK: gfirstLEP website

Summerfield Charitable Trust trustees Edward Gillespie, Kate Hicks Beach, David Owen, James Millar

Summerfield Trustees from Left-Right: Edward Gillespie OBE, Kate Hicks Beach, David Owen and James Millar.

Summerfield Trustees with some members of the team of advisers, February 2016.

Summerfield Charitable Trust Celebrates 25th Anniversary by Awarding £359,000 Grant to Gloucester Cathedral Project Pilgrim

24/9/2015

Summerfield Charitable Trust grant Gloucester Cathedral Project Pilgrim

The grant has been given as part of the trust’s 25th anniversary celebrations and will be used to conserve the Cathedral’s fifteenth century Lady Chapel. Conservation of the chapel forms a key part of Project Pilgrim, a £6M Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) project to develop the Cathedral site into a sustainable focal-point for heritage, spiritual and community activity in the heart of Gloucester.

Since it was established in 1989, the Summerfield Charitable Trust has given more than £7M to good causes in Gloucestershire. These include grants to the arts, the natural heritage and environment, community projects, education, recreation and sport, and the vulnerable and disadvantaged.

This grant is the largest one-off donation the Cathedral has received towards the Project Pilgrim funding target of £1.5M. It will help to unlock a further £4.3M if the Cathedral makes a successful round two application to HLF later this year.

The Very Reverend Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester said, “We are thrilled that the Summerfield Charitable Trust has agreed to award us such a significant grant. It will help breathe new life into one of our most precious assets, ensuring it remains in the best possible condition for current and future generations to enjoy.”

Mr Edward Gillespie OBE, Chairman of the Summerfield Charitable Trust said, “Over the past 25 years, the Summerfield Charitable Trust has made a substantial contribution to conserving many of the county's outstanding buildings and helping to enhance the experience of new generations of visitors. The Trustees are delighted to be engaged with the vision of Project Pilgrim and most specifically in plans for the exquisite Lady Chapel. We wish the Dean and Chapter every success with their continued fundraising to bring the project to a successful and sparkling conclusion."

About Project Pilgrim
Project Pilgrim is an ambitious ten year programme of activity and capital development to be delivered over three phases. The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a round one development grant of £320,000 to the first phase – “Project Pilgrim Phase One: the Heart of Gloucester” in June 2016. A further £4.3M delivery grant has been earmarked towards the building phase of the project by HLF subject to a successful round two application.
LINK: Gloucester Cathedral - Project Pilgrim will make Gloucester Cathedral better for everyone

Summerfield Charitable Trust grant Gloucester Catheddral Project Pilgrim Edward Gillespie OBE

Chairman of the Trustees, Mr Edward Gillespie OBE, presenting the grant cheque at Gloucester Cathedral on 24th September 2015. From left to right: Trustee, Kate Hicks Beach; Project Pilgrim Manager, Anne Cranston; Dean of Gloucester Cathedral, Reverend Stephen Lake; Trustees, Vanessa Arburthnott, Anthony McClaran, James Millar and Edward Gillespie; Trust Administrator, Lavinia Sidgwick; Gloucester Cathedral Architect, Antony Feltham-King. PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Fern Photography

Trustees award a £20,000 grant to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust's 'Cradle of the Cotswolds' project

5/8/2015

At their July quarterly meeting, the Trustees awarded a grant of £20,000 to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust for their 'Cradle of the Cotswolds' project at Greystones Farm in Bourton on the Water.

Greystones Farm nature reserve is a unique site, with a long history of human settlement that has produced a wealth of nationally important heritage features. Although Greystones is already an enjoyable place to visit, many of the traditional farm buildings are derelict and there is scant information about the important heritage around the Farm. Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has always aspired to restore the farm and transform it into a location where people can learn about the rich wildlife and history of the Cotswolds.

Click on the link below to read more about the project.

LINK: Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust news

£75,000 Summerfield grant helps @RosesTheatre Capital Campaign

18/5/2015

At their April 2015 quarterly meeting the Trustees awarded a grant of £75,000 to the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury towards their capital campaign for redevelopment and modernisation of the community arts centre and theatre.

The grant helped them to break through the half-way barrier of their Capital Campaign, and they have now raised over half a million pounds.

Click here to read more about the campaign.

Summerfield Trust £75,000 for Roses Theatre Tewkesbury towards £1m Capital Campaign

Roses Theatre Capital Campaign: major redevelopment and modernisation of the Tewkesbury based community arts centre and theatre.

Our Congratulations and Good Luck to @Glouc_services

14/5/2015

The Trustees and staff of the Summerfield Charitable Trust would like to congratulate Gloucester Services on winning their recent award for 'Outstanding Contribution to Local Food Development' at the Western Daily Press Food & Farming Awards 2015, and wish them good luck and continued success with the opening of the Southbound Services on Tuesday 19th May 2015.

We are proud to be one of the early supporters of the project back in 2007.

LINKS:
Gloucester Services
Western Daily Press Food & Farming Awards
Summerfield Trust support

Trustees of Grace Fry Charitable Trust transfer investments to Summerfield Trust

8/5/2015

In March this year the Trustees of the Grace Fry Charitable Trust transferred their investments to the Summerfield Charitable Trust in order that the Summerfield Trust could distribute more grants to benefit Gloucestershire charities.

Grace Fry lived in Cheltenham and keenly supported many causes similar to those of the Summerfield Trust. After her death, her Trust continued for a few years but the Trustees eventually recognised that by moving their investments to the Summerfield Trust, Mrs Fry's wishes could be retained but without the overheads.

£10,000 grant benefits Gloucestershire apprenticeship scheme in the creative industries

7/5/2015

In February this year The Summerfield Trust awarded a grant of £10,000 to CREATE Gloucestershire to promote a Gloucestershire apprenticeship scheme which is providing opportunities for young people wanting to go into the creative industries.
Create Gloucestershire has recruited 13 apprentices and interns so far through the Creative Employment Programme.
CLICK HERE to read more about the scheme.

James Millar Summerfield Charitable Trust, CREATE gloucestershire apprenticeships

Summerfield Trustee James Millar with apprentices.

Chairman of Summerfield Charitable Trust awarded OBE in Queen's New Year Honours

9/1/2015

Summerfield Charitable Trust Edward Gillespie, Edward Gillespie OBE, Summerfield Trust Edward Gillespie OBE

Edward Gillespie, Chairman of the Trustees of the Summerfield Charitable Trust, and former Managing Director of Cheltenham Racecourse, was awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List for services to horse racing. PHOTO: Gloucestershire Echo

Click on the links below for the full story:

Gloucestershire Echo - 30/12/2014
Queen's New Year Honours 2014: Former Cheltenham Racecourse boss Edward Gillespie awarded OBE

Racing Post - 31/12/2014
Former Cheltenham Chief Gillespie Awarded OBE

Gloucester Services provided the venue for our November Trustee meeting

8/12/2014

The Summerfield Charitable Trust provided supported the Gloucester Services project in the very early days in 2007, so the Trustees were delighted to return to the site in November, where they held their final quarterly meeting of 2014, and after the meeting welcomed Gloucestershire’s Lord Lieutenant Janet Trotter to lunch and a tour of the station

Located on the northbound carriageway of the M5 between junctions 11a and 12 at Brookthorpe, to the south of Gloucester, Gloucester Services opened in May 2014 and a second services on the southbound carriageway is due to open in May 2015.

Click here for more information about our involvement in the project.

For more information about Gloucester Services click here

Gloucester Services, Westmoreland, Summerfield Charitable Trust, Sarah Dunning, Mark Gale, Edward Gillespie, James Millar, Anthony McClaran, Vanessa Arbuthnott, Kate Hicks Beach, Lavinia Sidgwick

Summerfield Charitable Trust quarterly Trustee meeting hosted at Gloucester Services, November 2014.

Tetbury Rail Lands Regeneration Trust awarded £30,000

23/7/2014

Tetbury Rail Lands Regeneration Trust (TRLRT) is a charity which is turning the site of Tetbury's former GWR railway station into a series of community assets for the people of the town and surrounding area.

At the July 2014 quarterly grants meeting, the Trustees of the Summerfield Charitable Trust pledged £30,000 towards the cost of installing digital audio-visual equipment and black-out blinds for the Goods Shed cinema.

Read more on the TRLRT web site - www.tetburyraillands.com

WHAT ARE WE FRACKING FOR? Join the Summerfield Debate at Cheltenham Science Festival 2014

3/4/2014

You’ve seen the headlines, now hear the facts. The contentious method of fracking is surrounded by issues of environmental impact, economic viability and energy security. Get behind the headlines as Guest Director Richard Bacon chairs a frank discussion with Francis Egan, head of the company behind UK fracking, and energy economist Paul Ekins on the politics, the safety and the economics of fracking.

Summerfield Debate Cheltenham Science Festival 2014 Richard Bacon

Richard Bacon

THE SUMMERFIELD DEBATE

What Are We Fracking For?

TUESDAY 3 JUNE 2014
8:30PM - 9:30PM

PILLAR ROOM, CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

Tickets go on sale Tue 22 Apr at 12:00pm

The Summerfield Debate at Cheltenham Science Festival 2014

The Summerfield Trust sponsors annual events at the Cheltenham Festivals. For more information see our Projects Funded page.

New video highlighting the work of the Summerfield Trust

5/3/2014

2014 is the 25th Anniversary of the Summerfield Charitable Trust. To highlight the work of the Trust and explain more about its aims and priorities today and for the future, the Trustees commissioned a video which can be viewed below.