The current economic climate is obviously a very
difficult environment for charities as for other enterprises. In the
case of the Friends of Tring Church Heritage, which has an extremely
long-term perspective, it could easily be the case that our perceived
saliency is diminished by the urgency of people’s current economic
concerns. We have therefore striven as a group to maintain our profile
in the community whilst keeping up the tempo of our fundraising
activities and making them even more interesting and entertaining. This
strategy has proved largely successful.
Our membership base has remained constant and we are currently engaged
in a drive to recruit new members from within the town community. A new
leaflet ‘What would happen if our town lost its heart?’ has been
produced and is being distributed to every household. New members are
already starting to come in. We have also participated in the creation
and production of a book (Tring Days Out), which was sponsored by EEDA
and produced as an initiative by Tring Together. This has again helped
our profile within the town and schools community. Our work with the
schools continues and we are heavily involved in the RE initiative at
Tring School and in the events that that features. Our interpretation
programmes for the students of our schools continue and a new one (the
Tudors) has been added to our repertoire.
In terms of our events and fundraising, the Family Fun Day in May 2008,
featuring the augmented ‘Teddy Tower Terror’, was a high point in terms
of attracting new families and visitors to the church and church
grounds. ‘We didn’t think the church community was like this’ (i.e. so
welcoming) is the general tenor of comments recorded. Spreading that
sense of friendship and fellowship to the wider community is very much
part of the Friends’ strategic mission.
The second big event of the year took place in October at Tring School
and was entitled ‘Treasures and Pleasures’. This featured a team of
experts of ‘Antiques Roadshow’ fame, led by John Bly, who valued and
appraised people’s treasures. At the same time we had two
professionally run restaurants operating, one by the Akeman and one by
Olive Limes, both of which were extremely well attended and donated 50%
of their proceeds to the Friends. The entertainment by Harriet Green
and Rob Alderton was of the highest quality and the whole event
attracted some two hundred guests and raised a profit of just over
£6,000. It is also worth reporting that attendance at our planning
lunches remains very strong and the spring 2009 lunch featured the
highest attendance ever at such an occasion. We have now renewed our
‘Hundred Club’ for the fifth year and once again membership has been
fully subscribed.
Communication with our members continues via the newsletter and we are
currently engaged in developing the ‘Legacy Club’, which tackles head
on the issue of encouraging members to support the Friends after their
death with the same enthusiasm they have done in life. This, of course,
is a sensitive subject but the communications material has been
carefully developed in consultation with the membership. Significant
legacy support is obviously key to meeting our long-term goals.
On the financial side, our reserves have clearly been subject to a
reduction in value due to the general financial climate but in the
long-term, as we have no short-term requirement for crystallising these
reserves, this impact is likely to be no more than temporary. Our
strategy of retaining a significant proportion of the resources in
liquid form for immediate requirements works well and the Trustees have
completed a full overhaul of all strategic matters during the course of
the year.
We continue to be very fortunate in the energy and quality of our
Trustees, Officers and member activists, and it is in the vigour of
these human resources that the real strength of the Friends continues
to develop.
Grahame Senior, Honorary President
At the 2009 AGM Two long serving trustees, Liz Wood
and Claud Honey reached the end of their allowed period of service and
Emily Wood retired as Youth Representative to enable her to attend
university. They were all warmly thanked by the President, Grahame
Senior on behalf of all the Friends. Two new trustees were appointed,
Libby McKerrow and Gerry Miller and James Child took on the role of
Youth Representative.(see 'who's Who')
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New activities
Heritage Initiatives
The Tring Heritage Award scheme for the young , which was launched
in May 2003 was again awarded for 2009 to young people from Tring
schools for good ideas about Heritage.
‘Heritage Award winners James and Peter Child and Emily
Wood receive their certificates and cheques from President Grahame
Senior at the Annual Friends Day on May 9th 2009’.
For further information please contact Grahame Senior on Tring (01442)
822770.
'The Heritage & History of Tring' presentations to Schools -
running since May 2003; this is an interpretation programme for use in
schools to support the National Curriculum in History.
If you have any comments or queries please send an email to
info@fotch.co.uk . All comments welcomed, all constructive
criticism accepted, all help with articles and pictures gratefully
accepted!
Last updated 23/9/2009
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