TIMES reporter Sally Shipton takes a look at the profound effects that Okehampton United Charities has on the town.

Throughout last year, Okehampton United Charities (OUC) awarded nearly £400,000 to the benefit of local groups and individuals.

An organisation that strives to aid charitable causes in the town and its surrounding areas, OUC awarded grants totalling £385,000 in 2016.

Okehampton United Charities is officially two charities; Okehampton United Charity and Okehampton Educational Foundation. Last year Okehampton United Charity supported 43 groups with grants totalling £215,000 and the Okehampton Educational Foundation awarded grants totalling £170,000 to 113 individuals and six groups, including Okehampton College and Okehampton Primary School.

Some of the other beneficiaries of 2016 included Okehampton Rugby and Football Club, All Saints Church, Okehampton Community Recreational Association (OCRA), the Ockment Centre, Battle of the Bands, North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team and the Okehampton Tennis Club.

In terms of percentage the grants awarded in 2016 are categorised; 38% education and young people, 35% community services, 20% recreation and sport and 7% creative arts.

Since 2012 Okehampton United Charities has supported more than 200 groups and, in the past ten years, has put around £4-million into charitable groups and individuals.

Okehampton United Charities clerk Karen Percival said: ‘On average we award between £300,000 to £400,000 per annum to organisations and individuals of Okehampton and its surrounding four hamlets, Brightley, Southcott, Meldon and Stockley.

‘One of the largest projects the charity has supported was the replacement of the all-weather pitch at Okehampton College, the charity also contributed to the OCRA pavilion in the park.

‘Okehampton United Charities support all kinds of charities and projects within the town and hamlets. The trustees are just as keen to support the smaller projects as it is to support the large ones. For instance, awarding a grant to the scouts to purchase new tents is just as important as providing £200,000 to ensure the completion of the Pavilion in the Park.’

The charities capital investment comes from the selling of land which is owned by the charity.

Karen explained: ‘The charity has been involved in so much locally in the past 15 years. The capital investment came from selling land which was owned by the charity. This land, which is mainly to the east side of Okehampton, was originally part of the Barton Barn Estate which had been gifted to the townspeople many years ago.’ 

‘In 2007 the charity sold a section of land previously used for allotments at Broadpark, the receipts from the sale now form a capital investment fund of over £10-million and the income from this fund is used to help organisations and individuals within Okehampton and the hamlets.’

Karen said that in order to apply for a grant a group or organisation must firstly be charitable and of benefit to the town.

‘For grants £1,000 and under, we ask that the group writes a letter, which is then reviewed by trustees. For grants of £1,000 to £10,000, a formal application form must be filled in. Anybody needing a grant of £10,000 or more would need to deliver a presentation to trustees, fill in a formal application form and have clear management plans.’

All grant applications are reviewed by a board of charity trustees. The trustees include a rector, town mayor and immediate past town mayor, two nominated trustees from Okehampton Town Council and Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council and six co-opted trustees.

Karen said: ‘The charities have 13 trustees who give their time for free. One of our latest initiatives is that each group applying for a grant is allocated a trustee mentor. This makes applying for a grant much more accessible, as each trustee mentor is able to explain the process and support the group in making an application.’

Okehampton Town Mayor Cllr Jan Goffey said: ‘We are so lucky to have the Okehampton United Charities in the town and Okehampton Hamlets. Thank goodness that our medieval ancestors and Victorian benefactors saw the good that charitable giving was able to provide for less fortunate members of society.

‘As a community Okehampton and our surrounding villages still raise an incredible amount of money each year for a wide range of charities but few organisations have the resources of the OUC to provide such a wide range of support.

‘The trustees work incredibly hard to ensure that the money is given to deserving causes that benefit the community within the framework of their constitution. As mayor I feel privileged to be party to these deliberations and realise what a great deal of voluntary effort goes into ensuring the funds are spent effectively within the community.’

Trustee Christine Marsh said: ‘As the now longest serving trustee, I would be delighted to say that we are exceedingly lucky to have such a charity for the Okehampton town and hamlets.

‘Not only has it supported many groups, but it has also opened several opportunities to support people of all ages and abilities.

‘The town would be a lot poorer without the charity. We are the envy of other communities. It has been and still is an honour to be a trustee.’