Category: Latest News

We are pleased to announce the reopening of the Charity for grant applications in Spring 2026. Four new trustees were appointed earlier in the year, bringing our total number of trustees to seven. Our focus is on improving living conditions and life chances for those in need in Market Harborough, Great Bowden and Little Bowden.

We are committed to assisting local groups and individuals suffering hardship, distress or ill-health and to support welfare, leisure and education facilities in our area.

In response to an application from a kinship carer of children at Ridgeway Primary School, Trustees agreed to support equipping a classroom for children with special educational needs. Trustees noted that families were collecting items to equip the space and agreed a grant of £1,000 (September 2023).

Previously the children had been taught in the school library, but the new classroom provides a dedicated space for learning and life skills sessions.

Market Harborough Sea Cadet Corps lost the use of their previous premises in September 2023. Whilst they found a new base in the town, they needed to purchase two containers to store equipment. The group provides opportunities for young people aged between 9 – 17 years in its Cadet training programme and the Duke of Edinburgh awards.  

Trustees were pleased to grant £5,000 towards purchase of the storage containers, to help the group continue and extend its work with young people in the area (August 2023).

Trustees continued to support Arts Fresco, the not-for-profit free street theatre event that attracts large crowds to the town. They awarded a grant of £5,000 towards the event which was held in September 2023 (August 2023).

Trustees agreed a grant of £2,000 towards a group scout camp at Rhyd Covert to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of the 3^rd Market Harborough Scouts. Approximately 120 children aged between 6 – 13 attended from the Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs and Scout groups. They enjoyed outdoor activities and a visit to the West Midlands Safari Park (June 2023).

Trustees awarded a grant of £500 to a student undertaking a sponsored bike ride to help fund his participation in a charitable expedition to support a local community abroad. They noted that the expedition would offer him a range of personal development opportunities. They were impressed by his fundraising and sponsorship activities, which have since resulted in him achieving his financial goal ahead of schedule (May 2023).

In recognition of the impacts of Covid on children’s mental health, Trustees supported the initiative by Ridgeway Primary Academy and Great Bowden Academy to create a sensory garden at each school. The gardens will offer a calm space for pupils and provide an outdoor learning space. Trustees were pleased to see the fund raising already underway and awarded a grant of £5,000, to be split between the two schools (Spring 2023).

The Sensory Garden at Ridgeway Primary Academy was completed in June 2023, and has been in near-daily use by the pupils and staff. It is a versatile space for the children to enjoy, play, draw, collect materials for lessons, listen to stories, and help with the care of the plants. The school was awarded the title of ‘Best Ornamental School Garden’ by East Midlands in Bloom in 2023.

Market Harborough Swimming Club was awarded a grant of £1,000 to subsidise training courses for volunteers. It has been used to subsidise swim teacher and coaching qualifications which support the work of the club and benefit its members (April 2023).

Trustees awarded a grant of £6,000 to Harborough District Scouts towards the cost of six scouts in its area of benefit attending the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea. It will enable the scouts to meet others from around the world and to develop skills for life. The group had already undertaken fundraising at community events and individuals were fundraising on their own initiative to contribute to the cost of attending the event (March 2023).

Trustees supported a proposal from Great Bowden Academy PTA to raise funds for sports equipment, to include basketball posts and balls, hockey sticks, netballs and cricket equipment. The equipment will support participation in sports and enhance extra-curricular sports clubs and physical education lessons.

The fact that the PTA was raising funds from other sources and that the equipment would improve extra-curricular sports was taken into account in awarding a grant of £500 (February 2023).

Trustees agreed a grant of £3,000 for Arts Fresco, the popular free street theatre event that celebrated its 20^th anniversary in 2022. The event is the largest of its type in the East Midlands and is enjoyed by residents, as well as attracting visitors to the town which helps to boost the local economy (October 2022).

Trustees awarded a grant of £3,200 towards the cost of the 1^st Bowden Scout Group’s visit to the International Scout Centre in Switzerland.

They noted that this had been delayed due to covid and lockdown restrictions and recognised the benefits to the participants, particularly following the restrictions of the past two years. Forty-four youth members had the opportunity to meet scouts from all around the world, learning new life skills and exploring the possibilities that Scouting provides (October 2022).

Trustees agreed a grant of £900 towards the annual Great Bowden Recital Trust Junior X-Factor competition. It aims to nurture musical talent by providing opportunities for young singers, instrumentalists, groups and composers to perform in front of a panel of expert judges and receive constructive feedback to help them progress. The Trust received 35 entries in the 2023 competition and 17 talented young people performed in the Finals concert.

Trustees liked the fact that the competition was free to enter for young people, in line with the Trust’s view that an individual’s financial circumstances should never be a barrier for progressing and developing their skills (September 2022).

Trustees approved a grant for a table and chairs for a family with multiple needs. The family were living in open plan housing with a small living area and nowhere to sit and eat meals together.

The new table has given the family a space to eat together in comfort and a space for the children to do homework and craft activities (July 2022).

A grant of £18,000 was awarded to the Harborough Christian Counselling Service to improve access to its Bower House premises. Trustees noted that the service was available to all and that counselling sessions can cover anxiety, stress and depression, grief, bereavement and isolation.

The improvement works will provide a new ramped access to replace steps into the building and disabled toilet facilities within the building (May 2022).