The Bedford Charity (The Harpur Trust)

The Bedford Charity (The Harpur Trust) is one of the 200 largest charities in the UK with three charitable objectives: the promotion of education; the relief of those who are sick or in need, hardship or distress; the provision of recreational facilities with a social welfare purpose within the town of Bedford and the surrounding area. The Charity can only conduct activities in pursuit of its charitable objectives.

• The Charity has provided grants to John Bunyan Upper School for several specialist projects over the past few years including: ICT Suite, School Counselling Partnership and Specialist School Status. Several schools and other community groups in John Bunyan’s catchment area have also received grants from the Charity for specific projects e.g. Elstow Lower School’s Early Intervention Project; Shackleton Lower School’s Creative Arts Project; equipment for Stephenson Lower School; Harrowden Middle School’s Mural Project and a visit from Children’s laureate, Michael Rosen.
• Last year the Charity made grants of over £830,000 to local organisations, groups and individuals to support its charitable objectives.
• The Charity administers the four main schools of the Trust; Bedford School, Bedford High School, Dame Alice Harpur School and Bedford Modern School.
• Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School, set up by the Charity in January 1998, is run by Harpur Pre-Preparatory Schools Ltd, a separate charitable company.
• The Charity also provides over 40 places for frail or elderly people of the Borough in its almshouses and employs over 1400 people in the town of Bedford.

http://www.bedfordcharity.org.uk/

Jan 2009 : Local charity distributes £830,796 in grant awards.