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The Joseph Clarke School Trust
Joseph Clarke School Trust supports the work of the School by raising money to provide additional resources and activities for Pupils. Over the past few years the Trust has raised funds for a new Minibus, 18 Braille Notetakers, a Radio Station, Specially Adapted Bicycles, Christmas Parties and trips to Arundel as well as for landscaping work to the School's Gardens. The Trust is also supported by generous Donors and Sponsors.
Our Trust comprises individuals from across Vision and Hearing Impairment Education, the world of business as well as the local Waltham Forest community.
Working together, they draw on their wide range of skills and experience to support Joseph Clarke School and to enhance the educational opportunities offered to the pupils.
Joseph Clarke School Trust - The Trustees
Frank Smith - Chairman
Deputy Head of Joseph Clarke School for 5 years, then Head for 20 years
Chair of Look London until amalgamation with National Blind Children's Society
Committee Member of ALD Life
Now retired
Isobel Bidder (née Cox) – Treasurer
Joined the Trust in April 2023
Worked for RNIB for 5 years
Special Educational Needs Teacher and Senior Leader for 23 years
Headteacher of Joseph Clarke School for three years
Now semi-retired
Roy Hooper
First contact with Joseph Clarke School in 1985 when son attended School
Joined Trust Committee in 2004 and became Treasurer in 2006 until April 2023
42 years Commercial experience in Advertising, Marketing & Publishing
Patricia Theron
Teacher at Hawkswood School for Deaf for 28 years
Head of Nursery Department
Early Years Co-ordinator
Acting Head Teacher
Now retired
Michael Lewis
Joined the Trust in Autumn 2005
Waltham Forest Councillor from 1974 to 2014
Mayor of Borough 2004 - 5
Engineering Design Manager for a large multinational company until retirement in 2003
Now Retired
Janet Lewis
Joined the Trust in Autumn 2005
Past Governor of Joseph Clarke School and Vice-Chairman for two years.
Mayoress of Waltham Forest 2004 - 5
Trustee of the Walthamstow Almshouses and General Charity for 27 years, Vice-Chairperson
for 17 years until retiring in 2006
Now Retired
John Chipperfield
Joined the Trust in August 2014
Over 40 years’ experience in the Property Field
Partner of Estate Agents/Property Management Company from 1984 to 2002
Sales Consultant for McCarthy & Stone from 2003 to 2010
Now Retired
Bill Bidder
Joined the Trust in April 2023
Practising Solicitor with over 40 years' experience in Residential Development, Planning, Local Government and Urban Regeneration, acting for a number of the Country's largest volume PLC Housebuilders
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JCS Trust Update 2024
JOSEPH CLARKE SCHOOL TRUST
Raising hope & money for blind & partially sighted children
Trustees: Frank Smith – Chair, Isobel Bidder – Treasurer, Roy Hooper, Patricia Theron, Michael Lewis, Janet Lewis, Bill Bidder and John Chipperfield
WHAT WE DO
Structure, Governance and Management
The Trust is a Registered Charity (No. 1000964) and was established by a Trust Deed dated 10th September 1990 and registered on 14th November 1990.
The Trustees normally meet at least four times a year when they review the operation of the Trust and consider fundraising events, grant applications to provide much needed equipment, resources and activities, that will enrich the lives and education of all the pupils at Joseph Clarke School.
Aims & Objectives
Under the terms of the Trust Deed, the objective of the Trust is (a) Providing such special benefits of any kind not normally provided by the Local Education Authority for Joseph Clarke School of Vincent Road, Highams Park, London E4 9PP, or other maintained schools or units in the London Borough of Waltham Forest whose prime purpose is the provision of education of children and young people who are visually impaired, and (b) To educate and assist visually impaired young people through their leisure activities to develop their physical, mental and spiritual capacities so that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and members of society and that their conditions of life may be improved. In furtherance of that objective, provide within the London Borough of Waltham Forest centres for meetings, lecture classes and forms of leisure time occupation including a Braille library and residential accommodation for short term training.
To achieve the stated aims and objectives, the Trust arranges fundraising events and seeks grants from Registered UK charities working in these areas.
All outline projects must meet the aims and objectives of the Trust and are assessed by the Trustees.
Update for the period from July 2022 to September 2024:
Following the Covid-19 restrictions, the Trust resumed normal service ...!
In 2023 the Trust appointed two new Trustees, Isobel and Bill Bidder... Isobel is a former Headteacher at Joseph Clarke School and Bill is a Solicitor. Both of them will have so much to offer the Trust... !
Events:
The Trust held the Golf Day in 2023 and 2024... due to increased charges at West Essex GC, the Trust moved the event to Theydon Bois GC and it proved a wise move....both days raised about £5,000.... it goes without saying that the Trust will ensure that the Golf Day will feature again at Theydon Bois GC in 2025!
A Quiz Night was held in May 2024 at the School and raised just over £500.... thanks to Roy Hooper for arranging the Event!
Activities:
Arundel..... the normal trip courtesy of the Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation was arranged in 2023 and 2024 and once again they were resounding successes.... it is hoped that the Trust will be invited to send a party again in 2025.
School Report - 2023
“DLR class took part in the residential trip to Arundel courtesy of the Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation this year. This was the first time away from home for most of the children and they surpassed all our expectations. They demonstrated their independent living skills that they have been practicing during the year and as usual were polite, enthusiastic and kind to each other throughout the 3 days. We saw a huge improvement in their cricket skills and they really enjoyed having the space to run and to hit the ball as far as they could! The trip to the Castle was really interesting and they all managed the very steep spiral staircase. Every day was packed full of activities and everyone returned to school happy but pleasantly tired.”
The trip this year was another success.
Kingswood Activity Centre in Ashford, Kent ...trips took place in October 2022, June 2023 and May 2024 and once again were resounding successes.
October 2022
Message from Chadia Filali-Moutei, the Headteacher.. ”We just wanted to say a big thank you for
funding the residential trip to Kingswood in Kent. The children had a fantastic time enjoying the various activities as you will see below! They were so well behaved and were a credit to the School. They also enjoyed the food, accommodation and the evening activities before being exhausted and falling asleep! I have added some photos below and some comments from the children”.
“I enjoyed all the activities and the staff there were very friendly”.
“I’m really glad I went. I liked the zip wire. I went on the 3G swing and you’re in a harness and they pull a rope so you go high up in the air. Then I pull the string and it goes whoosh!”
“It was really fun, enjoyable and very relaxing. It was a really nice experience”.
“I enjoyed the zip wire and enjoyed seeing my Sixth Form friends I hadn’t seen for a long time”. Below are some photographs from the pupils’ residential trip to Kingswood in Kent showing some of the fun activities the children took part in.
Trips - June 2023 and May 2024
Chadia reported that once again these trips went extremely well and future trips are likely to be planned.
Funding by the Trust – July 2022 to September 2024
Jan-23 Circus Science Show and Workshop
Mar-23 World Book Day
May-23 Reptile Ranch – Visit
Oct-23 Wild Science – Visit
Oct-23 Early Years Development
Dec-23 Pantomime – Robin Hood
Jan-24 Magnifiers
Jan-24 Chicks Hatching – Visit
Feb-24 Echo Dot
Feb-24 Picnic Tables
Mar-24 3D Printer
Apr-24 Swell Form Machine
Jun-24 Sensory Garden Equipment
Jun-24 Storytelling – Chris Jenkins
2023/24 Trips to Arundel
2022/23/24 Trips to the Kingswood Activity Centre
To come:
2025 Wizard Stories
Early Years Playground Development .....the Trust purchased many items for the Playground Development. The pupils will have an inspiring, interesting, fun, sensory playground to develop their learning skills at playtime. This will include a playhouse, mud kitchen, toys/resources, wet and dry sensory areas, movement and gross motor area, a dressing up/role play section, an easel, busy boards and various trailing areas. Three picnic tables have also been purchased to enhance the pupils break and lunch times.
The Trust also funded a number of School Enrichment Events that were all very popular with the pupils:
The Reptile Ranch visited the school and all the children had the chance to touch and handle various reptiles, including snakes, tortoises, chameleon, bearded dragons and geckos. It is so important for children with vision impairment to have such experiences.
The children also had a Wild Science Animal visit and could interact and handle a broad range of fluffy and exotic animals.
Chicks Hatching – Visit.
A tank with fertilised chicks’ eggs was delivered to the school. The children had the chance to learn and observe the development of the eggs into chicks and to care for and interact with them.
To celebrate World Book Day a storyteller visited over three days to hold interactive storytelling sessions with every class.
The Trust received a Grant from the Co-op Local Community Fund in 2023 amounting to £3,754.98. With this Grant and the money raised from the Golf Days and Quiz Night, the Trust were able to fund the purchase of a Magnifier, Printer and Swell Form Machine.
John Chipperfield...... 1st October 2024
Chair: Mr F.J. Smith, 63 Endlebury Road, North Chingford, London, E4 6QB Telephone: 020 8529 2186 Email: end63@hotmail.co.uk
