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It’s a privilege to be able to offer financial support to local organisations that make such a difference to the well-being, choices and quality of life of so many people in our local communities.”
Bill Benoy
Trust Chairman
Since the Trust was formed a wide cross section of local charities and good causes have benefitted from Marjory Boddy’s legacy, including:-
- Petty Pool Trust
- Guide Dog Owners
- Wirral Community Narrowboats
- Woodwork to Wellness
- Personal Support Unit
- Cheshire Autism
- Live! New Scene Centre
- Multiple Sclerosis Trust
- Countess of Chester Hospital
- Young Enterprise
- Jubilee Sailing Trust
- Passion for Learning
- Guide Dogs
- The Honeypot Children’s Charity
- Health Box
- Children Today
- Friends of the Elderly
- Hope House Children’s Hospice
- Hospice of The Good Shepherd
- Neuromuscular Centre
- Industry Co-working Chester
- Handicapped Children’s Action Group
- British Disabled Angling
- Chester International Links Association
- Friends of Mulberry
- Warrington Youth Club
- Chester School Christian Work
- Bridge Community Farms.
Latest grants handed out to community organisations
The Marjory Boddy Trust has distributed more than £62,000 to local community organisations during summer 2023.
Set up in 2002, the Marjory Boddy Trust manages the assets and investments of the late Marjory Boddy, who lived in Chester and was a keen supporter and benefactor of many local good cases during her lifetime.
The following organisations have been supported this time around.
- Amber Bee CIC
- Blacon Neighbourhood Alliance
- Bugz and Bunnies
- Cheshire Dance
- Cycling Without Age
- Flight to Freedom
- Go Beyond
- Healthbox CIC
- Here and Now Chester
- Hong Kong in Chester
- OPAL Services
- Panathlon Foundation
- Pennysmart
- Snow Angels
- Soul Kitchen Chester
- The Neuromuscular Centre (NMC)
- Time Away
- Vineyard 53
- Wilderness Tribe CIC
- Friends of Lache Community
How to apply for funding
The Trust meets three times a year and any applications will be assessed by the Board at the next opportunity so please consider submitting one as early as possible.
Anyone applying should be based in the Chester, west Cheshire or immediate surrounding areas, or be able to demonstrate that their activities or services deliver a direct benefit or meet the specific needs of groups or individuals in those local communities, particularly those who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or overlooked.
Marjory Boddy Trust funding benefits families living in Lache
Funding from the Marjory Boddy Trust has helped Koala North West support 10 different families in the Lache area over the past few months.
Koala North West provides children and their families with tailored practical and emotional support that improves wellbeing and reduces isolation.
Set up in 2002, the Marjory Boddy Trust manages the assets and investments of the late Marjory Boddy, who lived in Chester and was a keen supporter and benefactor of many local good cases during her lifetime.
Through this funding from the Marjory Boddy Trust, Koala North West has been able to make a real impact in the Lache area by supporting the follow people.
- Five children with a disability
- Five single parents
- One teenage parent
- Two parents who have experienced domestic abuse
- Three parents who have mental health difficulties
The charity is also running a weekly drop-in session at Lache Community Centre and has been busy promoting its service offer across Lache, recruiting and training volunteers who can go on to support local families.
One of the families that has received support said: “As a family of five all with additional needs, ranging from both us parents being registered as blind and our children being autistic or visually impaired, Koala North West has been excellent.
“We’re being supported as parents to socialise and be active in the community, as well as being helped as a family to access and accompany us to social and play sessions and parks in the Lache area.
“I can’t go out with all three children on my own so the help we’re receiving is amazing.”
Another said: “I didn’t know about the foodbank so, without Koala North West’s help, we wouldn’t have had that much food.
“I can’t thank the team enough for phoning and coming with me as I’ve never been before so I didn’t know what to expect.”
Bill Benoy, Chair of the Marjory Boddy Trust Board, added: “It’s fantastic to hear about the real difference our funding is making in the local community.
“Koala North West does so much amazing work and we’re delighted to have funded this project.
“We’re always looking to fund project so please get in touch with us if you could benefit from a grant.”
How to apply for funding
The Trust meets three times a year and any applications will be assessed by the Board at the next opportunity so please consider submitting one as early as possible.
Anyone applying should be based in the Chester, west Cheshire or immediate surrounding areas, or be able to demonstrate that their activities or services deliver a direct benefit or meet the specific needs of groups or individuals in those local communities, particularly those who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or overlooked.
Latest Marjory Boddy Trust funding round supports six local projects
The Marjory Boddy Trust continues to give local charitable organisations a real boost, granting more than £12,000 between six different projects in the last funding round.
Set up in 2002, the Marjory Boddy Trust manages the assets and investments of the late Marjory Boddy, who lived in Chester and was a keen supporter and benefactor of many local good cases during her lifetime.
The Trust meets three times a year to consider applications from charitable organisations and the following projects have been given grants in June 2022.
- Dial West Cheshire – restarting and opening a T-Club for one year, providing people with the skills needed to help others in the community, such as committee experience and food hygiene.
- Northwich Multisports – providing weekly activities year round for 50 children and young people, as well as valuable respite, outreach and a support service for more than 70 families.
- Little Actors Theatre Company – funding places for a week-long performing arts course.
- Woodwork to Wellness – helping people make handcrafted items, usually out of wood, so they can develop their skills and improve their own wellbeing.
- Guide Dogs for the Blind – providing seven iPads to children in Cheshire to help them reach their full potential, without access to technology being a barrier.
- Ellesmere Port Parochial Church – supporting the Food Initiative Group so two families struggling financially can enjoy a trip to the Welsh Mountain Zoo and Colwyn Bay beach, or Applejacks Farm.
Applications are open all year round and will be assessed by the Board at the next opportunity so please consider submitting one as early as possible.
Anyone applying should be based in the Chester, west Cheshire or immediate surrounding areas, or be able to demonstrate that their activities or services deliver a direct benefit or meet the specific needs of groups or individuals in those local communities, particularly those who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or overlooked.
Marjory Boddy Trust supports 13 more community projects
Nearly £100,000 has been distributed to community projects by the Marjory Boddy Trust in its latest round of grants.
The Marjory Boddy Trust was set up in 2002 to manage the assets and investments of the late Marjory Boddy, who lived in Chester and was a keen supporter and benefactor of many local good cases during her lifetime.
The Trust meets three times a year to consider applications from registered charities and 13 projects in total were backed in March 2022, giving them a boost as they continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following projects have received funding.
- Koala North West
- Go Beyond
- Caring Connection
- Motherwell Cheshire CIO
- No Time Like the Future Young Enterprise
- Frodsham Youth Association
- Happy Days
- Hospice of the Good Shepherd
- The Joshua Tree
- Action Transport Theatre
- Tall Ships Youth Trust
- Mobility Trust
- Groundwork
All charities being supported are based in the Chester, west Cheshire or the immediate surroundings areas, or have activities or services delivering a direct benefit or meet the specific needs of groups or individuals in these local communities, particularly people who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or overlooked.
Bill Benoy, Chair of the Marjory Boddy Trust Board, said: “We’re delighted to have granted such a significant amount of money in this latest round of funding.
“At the Marjory Boddy Trust, we recognise the amount of pressure local charities have been under over the last couple of years and that’s going to continue in the future.
“It’s fantastic that we’re able to provide another source of funding for these organisations and we can’t wait to see the impact our grants have.
“With these inspiring projects, our communities wouldn’t be what they are and people wouldn’t be able to access the support they need.”
Applications are open all year round and will be assessed by the Board at the next opportunity so please consider submitting yours as early as possible.
Local causes given a boost by the Marjory Boddy Trust
More than £30,000 has been given to different projects following the Marjory Boddy trustees’ meeting in October 2021.
The Marjory Boddy Trust was set up in 2002 to manage the assets and investments of the late Marjory Boddy, who lived in Chester and was a keen supporter and benefactor of many local good cases during her lifetime.
The Trust meets three times a year to consider applications from registered charities and handed out grants to ten different projects in October 2021.
• Local branch of Parkinson’s UK
• Chester Mystery Plays
• Wirral Community Narrowboat
• Revitalise Respite Holidays
• Kidsbank Chester
• Epilepsy Action
• Swan UK
• The Bren Project
• Chester Music Society
• Huntington’s Disease Association
All charities being supported are based in the Chester, west Cheshire or immediate surroundings areas, or have activities or services delivering a direct benefit or meeting the specific needs of groups or individuals in these local communities, particularly people who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or overlooked.
Bill Benoy, Chair of Trustees at the Marjory Boddy Trust, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to support so many amazing charities in 2021 as we know how difficult times have been for them with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Charities have gone above and beyond to support our local communities so, as a Board of Trustees, we’re pleased to have been able to make grants to a value higher than any previous year.
“It’s important these charities have been able to access as many grants as possible to cope with the increased demand they’ve experienced in their communities.
“We look forward to seeing how our funding has helped the various projects we’ve supported develop over the coming months.”
The next set of applications will be considered by the Marjory Boddy Board of Trustees in February 2022.
Marjory Boddy is a key partner in Bridge Community Farms' success
Bridge Community Farms in Ellesmere Port has benefited from the continued support of the Marjory Boddy Trust over the last seven years.
The project provides a therapeutic and caring environment for those with learning disabilities and mental health issues, with training, life skills and work experience offered to children and young people who struggle in a standard academic environment.
Along with a community farm that grows veg ready to be delivered in boxes to local people, wellness gardens and a wellness shop provide a great opportunity for people to look after their own health and wellbeing.
The Marjory Boddy Trust was set up in 2002 to manage the assets and investments of the late Marjory Boddy, who lived in Chester and was a keen supporter and benefactor of many local good cases during her lifetime.
Bridge Community Farms has received grants through a number of the Marjory Boddy Trust’s funding rounds, helping the project deliver its valuable services to people in the local area.
Francis Ball, Founder of Bridge Community Farms, said: “We started without a penny as we had a green field and nothing else.
“We wanted to employ a couple of people who had been unemployed long term and the Marjory Boddy Trust and other trusts and foundations stepped in to help.
“They funded these roles for the first 18 months and, once we gathered evidence about the impact they had, fundraising became a lot easier for us.
“The Marjory Boddy Trust hasn’t only helped us financially, but it’s been hugely reassuring to have the support and confidence of experienced people who are trustees of the charity.
“A couple of years went by and, in spring this year, we pitched for some more funding, giving us six months’ worth of costs to employ a vulnerable young person.
“Without organisations like ours, it’d be hard to imagine this person having paid work.
“They introduce themselves to people as the COVID Manager, sanitise all the hard surfaces regularly and take huge pride in keeping the place clean.
“The pandemic and lockdowns have fuelled mental health issues, but we were able to offer a telephone buddying service to help those who were feeling lonely and isolated.
“This was appreciated enormously by people and it’s been fantastic to see them return to the wellness gardens in recent weeks and months.
“I’m massively grateful to the Marjory Boddy Trust for all its support as it’s enabled us to develop our organisation and offer much-needed services to people.”
Bill Benoy, Chair of Trustees at the Marjory Boddy Trust, added: “It’s wonderful to hear the positive difference our funding has made to Bridge Community Farms.
“Not-for-profit organisations like Bridge Community Farms make such a big impact in their communities and it’s pleasing to be able to play even a small part in their journey.”
The Marjory Boddy Trust meets three times a year to consider applications from registered charities and the next set will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees in February 2022.
Marjory Boddy supports Platform for Life
A grant of £19,000 from the Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust has helped Platform for Life fund much-needed support sessions for adults, children and young people during challenging times.
Platform for Life is based in Chester and started in 2017 from a small counselling service that helped young families experiencing multiple challenges, such as homelessness, debt and parenting difficulties.
With extra demand for services during the COVID-19 pandemic and Platform for Life needing to adapt like many other organisations, the support from the Marjory Boddy Trust has been invaluable, helping fund both counselling and play therapy sessions.
Ceri George, Chief Executive of Platform for Life, said: “We received funding in August so we’re still in the early stages of delivering the sessions.
“It’s been massively important to us because we’ve stayed open throughout the pandemic and saw a big increase in the number of referrals we were receiving.
“In the last financial year, we had 25 per cent more referrals and the number of people accessing our counselling sessions grew by 60 per cent.
“When we look at our figures every quarter, we think they’re a lot, but the demand continues to grow because the pandemic has exacerbated some people’s mental health issues.
“The process for applying to the Marjory Boddy Trust was very straightforward as the number of questions was minimal and the response was really quick.
“This funding will help us continue to make a real difference to the people we support at Platform for Life.”
Bill Benoy, Chair of the Marjory Boddy Trust Board, added: “We’re delighted to have been able to support Platform for Life when its services have been in such high demand during the pandemic.
“The way that charities like Platform for Life have adapted over the last 18 months has been inspiring and we’re happy to play a small part in helping them continue to deliver their services.
“If there are any other charities that are looking for funding, I’d encourage them to reach out to us at the Marjory Boddy Trust.”
The Marjory Boddy Trust was set up in 2002 to manage the assets and investments of the late Marjory Boddy, who lived in Chester and was a keen supporter and benefactor of many local good cases during her lifetime.
The Trust meets three times a year to consider applications for grants from registered charities that are involved in but not confined to the areas of health, education, welfare and the arts.
Applicants should be based in the Chester, west Cheshire or the immediate surroundings areas, or be able to demonstrate that their activities or services deliver a direct benefit or meet the specific needs of groups or individuals in those local communities, particularly people who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or overlooked.
School’s lift boost for wheelchair students
Students with physical disabilities at a Chester school now have access to the full range of learning opportunities thanks to the generosity of two local charitable trusts.
When Christleton High School’s first wheelchair user enrolled in 2019, the design of the ‘70s buildings in the older parts of the school made it impossible for him to access the first floor and join his classmates in any art or modern languages classes.
Alerted to the challenge, two of Chester’s leading charitable trusts donated the £25,000 to design and install a wheelchair lift linking ground and upper floors.
The project also included the provision of a physiotherapy and disabled toilet facility complete with a hoist and other specialist equipment.
Last week, representatives of both the Marjory Boddy Trust and the Ursula Keyes Trust – both named after prominent Chester philanthropists – were welcomed to the school by Headteacher, Darran Jones to formally commission the lift.
“We’re immensely grateful to both trusts for their on-going support and generosity,” said Darran Jones.
“Whilst this important project was geared to the needs of a specific student, the lift is proving a tremendous asset for students and staff who are affected by temporary and permanent mobility issues.”
He added: “Perhaps even more importantly, the lift means that we are now in a position to deliver an unrestricted range of learning opportunities to future generations of students with a wide range of mobility challenges.”
Marjory Boddy Trust Chair, Bill Benoy commented: ”We were keen to support Christleton High School’s commitment to ensuring that no student is deprived of learning opportunities as a result of any disability. We’re proud to have been involved in supporting the project.”
Ursula Keyes trustee John Brimelow added: ”This is a great example of a school investing in inclusion and equal opportunity which lie at the heart of The Ursula Keyes Trust’s values.”
Marjory Boddy Trust supports 13 more community projects
Nearly £100,000 has been distributed to community projects by the Marjory Boddy Trust in its latest round of grants.
The Marjory Boddy Trust was set up in 2002 to manage the assets and investments of the late Marjory Boddy, who lived in Chester and was a keen supporter and benefactor of many local good cases during her lifetime.
The Trust meets three times a year to consider applications from registered charities and 13 projects in total were backed in March 2022, giving them a boost as they continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following projects have received funding.
- Koala North West
- Go Beyond
- Caring Connection
- Motherwell Cheshire CIO
- No Time Like the Future Young Enterprise
- Frodsham Youth Association
- Happy Days
- Hospice of the Good Shepherd
- The Joshua Tree
- Action Transport Theatre
- Tall Ships Youth Trust
- Mobility Trust
- Groundwork
All charities being supported are based in the Chester, west Cheshire or the immediate surroundings areas, or have activities or services delivering a direct benefit or meet the specific needs of groups or individuals in these local communities, particularly people who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or overlooked.
Bill Benoy, Chair of the Marjory Boddy Trust Board, said: “We’re delighted to have granted such a significant amount of money in this latest round of funding.
“At the Marjory Boddy Trust, we recognise the amount of pressure local charities have been under over the last couple of years and that’s going to continue in the future.
“It’s fantastic that we’re able to provide another source of funding for these organisations and we can’t wait to see the impact our grants have.
“With these inspiring projects, our communities wouldn’t be what they are and people wouldn’t be able to access the support they need.”
Applications are open all year round and will be assessed by the Board at the next opportunity so please consider submitting yours as early as possible.
Trustees celebrate successful collaboration with CWVA
The Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust is working in partnership with Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) to help reduce loneliness and social isolation in communities.
CWVA helps communities in West Cheshire grow and thrive by connecting charitable organisations, volunteers and businesses to champion social action.
Recognising CWVA’s pivotal role in providing advice, support and training for the sector, Marjory Boddy Trustees agreed to provide £10,000 to enable CWVA to use its knowledge and expertise to identify local charities and community groups that needed a financial boost to help them deliver services to keep people connected during the Covid-19 pandemic, reducing loneliness and social isolation.
The following organisations have benefited from grants.
- Age UK Cheshire
- Snow Angels
- Kingsway and Newton Residents Association (KANRA)
- Changing Lives Together
- Chester and District Federation of the Blind
- Chapter
- Aspire
- Cheshire Agricultural Chaplaincy
- Ashworth Time Bank
- Neston Community Youth Centre
- OPAL Services
- Cheshire Young Carers
Clare Harrison, Deputy Chief Executive of CWVA, said: “We were delighted to help the Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust and make sure grants were given to charities and community organisations that needed some support.
“With our in-depth knowledge of the sector and all our members, we were able to quickly set up this funding stream and get grants out to our members so they could continue delivering their services effectively.
“We’d like to thank the Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust for supporting our sector during what has been a challenging period.”
Marjory Boddy Chair of Trustees Bill Benoy added: “The trustees recognised the scale of need created by the pandemic and the importance of the role of the voluntary sector in meeting these new challenges.
“It made perfect sense to ask the experts at CWVA to allocate funding on our behalf to where it was most needed and where it would do the most good with the minimum of bureaucracy and delay.”
Bill added: “This has been a worthwhile and successful collaboration that has delivered real benefit and we look forward to supporting further initiatives in the future.”
Trust’s £18K Memory Lane donation
The Marjory Boddy Trust stepped in recently to enable the Countess of Chester Hospital Charity to start work on the first phase of its ‘Memory Lane’ project.
The Trust presented members of the project team with a cheque for £18,000 to enable work to start on creating a lounge area and adjoining garden for vulnerable elderly patients being cared for in wards 50 and 51 of the Countess of Chester Hospital.
The £190,000 appeal was designed to enhance facilities, improve dignity and develop a more appropriate environment for this growing group of patients who may need longer periods of in-patient care.
“With so many of us now living so much longer, it’s important that we do what we can to help ensure that patients and their families have the best possible environment and facilities within which to address their needs,” said Marjory Boddy Trust Chairman, Bill Benoy.
Thanking the Trust for its latest support, The Countess Charity’s Trust & Legacy fundraiser Ngozi Ikoku commented: “The Trust has been a long-standing supporter of a number of charitable initiatives throughout the Countess of Chester Health Park.
“This latest donation represents a major boost to our appeal and will help us make a real difference to patients and their families at a time in their lives when it’s particularly needed.”