Sporting Challenge have been awarded funding from some of the West Lancashire division of Lancashire County Councillors from the Lancashire County Council Local Member Grant Scheme.

Sporting Challenge, we are a group of Parent/Carers who from 2008 have been providing sporting activities for around 50 people with learning disabilities in West Lancashire to keep them fit and healthy.These evening and weekend activities include Ten Pin Bowling, Aerobics, Swimming and Boccia/Kurling at local Sports Centres. Many people with a learning disability don’t take part in any exercise activity because the family/carers who support them are not motivated or are unable to take them on such activities and they can’t go on their own. We provide Sessional Workers who will collect them from where they live, support the people whilst they are at the sports centres and then return them home after the activities.

Edward McCarthy Sporting Challenge Activities Co-ordinator said: “This is great news and will fund some of our evening activities in the future. Details of the individual awards are below. Many thanks to Lancashire County Council and it’s respective councillors. Over the last year a number of new adults have started attending and we have also tried some new activities such as sailing.”

• Cllr David O’Toole – West Lancashire South £200 for one of our varied sessions.
• Cllr Julie Gibson – Skelmersdale West £250 for one of our varied sessions.
• Cllr Malcolm Barron – West Lancs North £250 for one of our varied sessions.
• Cllr Nikki Hennessy – Ormskirk £250 for one of our varied sessions.
• Cllr Terry Aldridge – Skelmersdale Central £250 for our sessions.
• Cllr Eddie Pope – Burscough and Rufford £250 and £266.25 for our sessions.
• Cllr Paul Greenall – West Lancs East £100 towards our sessions.

Also:-

• Cllr Joan Burrows – Champion for the Elderly £500 for aspects of our sessions.
• Cllr Peter Steen – Champion for the Disabled £1100 for aspects of our sessions.
• Cllr Mark Perks the Champion for Youth £1000 towards our sessions for younger members.

Visit – http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/benefits-and-grants/grants-and-funding/voluntary-community-and-faith-sectors-grants-and-funding/local-member-grants.aspx

and http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=6472&pageid=38603

Visit – www.sporting-challenge.org.uk

 

Sporting Challenge based in West Lancashire are celebrating a £3000 funding award from the Bailey Thomas Charitable Fund.

Activities Coordinator Edward McCarthy: “I would like to thank the Bailey Thomas Charitable Fund for their most generous grant. This will help fund staffing costs for many of our ever popular sessions.”

Sporting Challenge organises sporting activities to encourage people with learning disabilities to keep fit and healthy. They organise activities which include: Aerobics, Bowling, Boccia, Kurling, Zumba/Dance, Swimming and other Fitness Activities. Last year the charity organised its first short break.

They currently support around 50 people in the West Lancashire area to access a variety of activities by providing transport to and from their homes and the appropriate sessional workers to support them whilst carrying out the activities. This number is set to grow over the years to come. Around a third of its members are aged 16-22.

The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund was established in 1970 under the authority of the Court of Protection in London on behalf of Mr Frank Bruce Baily Thomas, who was mentally disabled.

Frank Bruce Baily Thomas was born in 1916, the only child of F. K. Munro Thomas and Gertrude Sarah, the only child of William Edward Baily, a gentleman of independent means and himself the only child of William Baily, one of the joint founders in 1855 of the Mansfield Brewery in which he had a one half share in the Partnership.

During Mrs Baily’s widowhood, the growing profits from their one half share in the Brewery were divided equally between herself and her daughter, under a Trust created by Mr Baily’s will. The Will Trust provided that on the death of Mrs Baily, the whole of the income from the Brewery interest should flow to the daughter, Gertrude, for life and that on her death the income and capital should pass to her children. Frank therefore received the income from his Grandfather’s Will Trust during his minority and the capital on coming of age (then 21) in 1937.

At the age of 3 or 4, it became apparent that Frank had learning disabilities. His mother died when Frank was 7 years old. During her lifetime Gertrude Sarah Thomas created a Marriage Settlement from the resources of capital in her direct ownership (which did not include the Mansfield Brewery shares). This Settlement provided an income for Frank’s father and on his death in August 1970, the capital of the Marriage Settlement passed to Frank.

When Frank attained the age of majority in 1937, his learning disabilities made it necessary that his inheritance should come under the control of the Court of Protection (then known as the Management and Administration Department of the Court). A Receiver was appointed by the Court to manage Frank’s affairs.

In 1970 a review was carried out in light of the most recently enacted Mental Health Legislation and the situation which would arise on Frank’s death. At this time Frank’s estate consisted almost entirely of Mansfield Brewery shares. In October 1970 a proposal was put to the Court by the Receiver to transfer by way of gift, to two separate Settlements, Mansfield Brewery shares. The Divestment Scheme was approved in its entirety and the two Settlements – Charitable Fund and Provident Fund – were set up. The Charitable Fund was to receive shares with an approximate value of £780,000 and whose objects would be mainly (a) research into the causes of “mental handicap and mental illness” and (b) promoting the care and alleviation of those who suffered from these disabilities. The Provident Fund was to receive shares with an approximate value of £670,000 and would be used to set up a Provident Fund for past, present and future employees of the Mansfield Brewery, and their dependants, with a reversion to the Charitable Fund at the end of the trust period.

Over the years following 1970 there was a substantial increase in the capital value of the Mansfield Brewery shares held by the two funds and those remaining in Frank’s personal ownership (which, under the terms of his will, would eventually pass to the Charitable Fund). In December 1999 Mansfield Brewery was taken over by Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries as a result of which the Charitable Fund received approximately £43million in cash and 6million Wolverhampton & Dudley shares (value c.£30million).

Frank was well cared for during his lifetime and reached the age of 80 years before dying in January 1997. His name, however, by virtue of the Charitable Fund, will live on in perpetuity.

For more details visit www.sporting-challenge.org.uk or call 07971 299606.

For more information on Bailey Thomas visit http://www.bailythomas.org.uk/