The Charles Plater Trust is proud to announce the successful conclusion of its second annual grant awarding round. This year’s three recipients were welcomed at a ceremony at Archbishop’s House, Westminster on Thursday 21 January 2010, in the presence of former recipients and other guests. The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and Chairman of the Charles Plater Trust, hosted the event, saying that the work of the Plater Trust and its recipients “is about our growth and our mission, and it shows so many things about the Church of which we can be proud.”
The Trust was established from the sale of Plater College in 2006, and makes grants each year on a given theme addressing the work and values of Fr. Charles Plater. This year’s theme, Imaginative projects providing education for education for people from the most marginalised sectors of society, attracted considerable interest from dozens of excellent applicants collectively seeking £1.6 million in grants.
After a careful evaluation process by the Trust’s granting committee and trustees, a total of £190,060 was disbursed to the following three projects:
Ten Ten Theatre: £89,820 to fund the development and presentation of “Sam’s Story: Young Offenders’ Drama Project” This theatre-in-education project, which is to be presented across the United Kingdom, will engage with young people to help them develop new skills and reduce the risk of reoffending;
St Antony’s Centre: £70,240 to support the Accrington Community and Training (ACT) Centre. Established in direct response to the economic and social exclusion faced by migrant workers in Hyndburn, Lancashire, the ACT Centre works in one of the most deprived local authority areas in the UK to bring language and other services to the community;
Westminster Diocese Deaf Service: £30,000 for Signs of Hope. This project aims to provide low-cost or free life skills education and support to Deaf adults in a culturally and linguistically accessible format using British Sign Language; it seeks to help clients to develop their skills as well as their confidence and assertiveness.
John Taylor, Chairman of the Plater granting committee, praised the gathering as a “delightful occasion” and said the recipients “continue the tradition and the thinking of Father Charles Plater while setting them in a modern context.”
Oona Stannard, Chief Executive and Director of the Catholic Education Service, providers of the Trust’s administration, said that “there is a well-deserved sense of celebration about this latest round of Plater grant awards, building as they do on the firm foundations of last year’s winners. They are all excellent examples of the Church’s social teaching in action.”
Information
For photographs from the event:
Email the Catholic Communications Network or call: 020 7901 4800
Hi-res images are available for download on our Flickr photostream
For further information on the event or the work of the Charles Plater Trust:
Email Michael Chalk or call: 0207 901 1907
