A NEW charity was launched in Tavistock last week, inspired by the pioneering work carried out at the town?s Mary Budding Centre.

The Mary Budding Trust is the brainchild of Tavistock?s Robin Fenner, a former chairman of Mencap in the town, who was also a key player in the establishment of the centre.

The new charity takes its name from the doctor who spearheaded, along with Mencap, the establishment of a diagnostic and assessment unit for special needs children in Tavistock in the 1980s.

The aim of the trust is ?for the relief of children with special needs, aged eleven or under, living in the area serviced by West Devon Borough Council, by the provision of grants or equipment?.

Trust chairman Mr Fenner said: ?During my years working for Mencap, I have come across so many gifted children ? a child who had the ability to do nothing but play chess, brilliantly, children who could play the piano but nothing else.

?One thing they all had in common, something you can only describe as unique, and that is affection ? their love for people was unabounding.?

Mr Fenner said he hoped the trust would be able to help these special children by providing things for which there was no statutory provision, in cases where there was genuine need.

?Because Tavistock is such a loving and giving community we have the opportunity of providing these facilities,? said Mr Fenner.

The trust has been set up with funds from Mencap and the sale of Mary Budding?s house in Dolvin Road. It is hoped such a local charity will also attract legacies.

Tony Waites, former headteacher at Tavistock Primary School who was also heavily involved with the Mary Budding Centre, is also a trustee.

Mr Waites said the new charity would be able to help children with a wide variety of needs: ?It might be special equipment, like trikes, wheelchairs or ramps, or it might be that a family needs to go to Great Ormond Street and needs financial support.

?The difficulty with these kind of children who have really severe problems is that the equipment they require is often extremely expensive and the amount of money you get from local authorities doesn?t even cover one bit of equipment, let alone the whole lot.?

The logo for the Mary Budding Trust was designed by children during a competition at Tavistock Primary School.

The trust was launched at an official ceremony in the mayor?s parlour in Tavistock Town Hall last Wednesday when children who helped design the logo were presented with awards by mayor Norma Woodcock, who is also a trustee of the charity.

Cllr Norma Woodcock told the children it was an important day for Tavistock.

?One day in years to come you will be able to tell your children, ?I helped design that logo!?

Cllr Woodcock said she felt privileged to have been invited onto the board of trustees.

She said the trust would be of ?enormous benefit? to children and their families in the area.

Joe Flynn, primary school headteacher, said the Mary Budding Centre was an integral part of the school and it was ?very appropriate? that children at the school had helped in the design of the new charity?s symbol and with its motto ? ?Caring Every Step of the Way?.