Masses of information technology including interactive white boards and E-Safety software top the list of things that have been bought by schools in Market Harborough, Great Bowden, and Little Bowden as a result of £540,000 of grants over the last three years. The list also includes sports and music equipment; social and mental health support; books and new playgrounds.
In 2019, trustees at Market Harborough & the Bowdens Charity promised to give every school in their area £20,000 a year for three years to spend on whatever they wanted to improve their school for their pupils. The scheme concluded at the end of 2022 and the reports are now in.
Market Harborough & the Bowdens Charity has about a dozen trustees who decide on how to give away money generated from investments left in trust over hundreds of years. The money can only be spent in Market Harborough, Great Bowden, and Little Bowden so the following schools have benefitted from this scheme, click each link to view report.
“I am delighted to see how schools have made use of this enormous investment. Head teachers and their colleagues have understandably chosen to buy IT to equip their classrooms with the latest kit. But it is also great to see playgrounds and the arts feature strongly in the list."
“The Charity had accumulated some funds before the pandemic and trustees decided to prioritise school education through these grants. Now, some three years later, we have received reports from each school to say how they have spent their grant. One school administrator told me that the equipment the school has been able to purchase is ‘amazing!’ I think all the reports are amazing and that they show the passion and creativity for learning in all our schools.”
Reports from the schools are available below (PDF)
The Charity welcomes applications for grants for community projects, relief-in-need and education. The current priorities for the trustees include vulnerable people of all ages, mental health wellbeing and ill-health prevention.
The trustees recognise the significant financial pressures caused by increasing heating costs and high inflation. They are therefore keen to award more small grants and they intend to explore pathways to identify appropriate beneficiaries.
The trustees’ own experience of relief-in-need applications has identified a need for financial management advice, coaching and life skills for potential beneficiaries. The trustees want to identify options for the provision of such advice and training alongside or in lieu of direct grants.
