Village Trust
North Waltham Village Trust is a registered charity that owns and runs, on behalf of the village, the Cuckoo Meadow and Rathbone Pavilion.
In 1953, the Meadow was given to the village by William Rathbone and the Trust was set up to run and administer the gift. Since then further facilities have been added, such as the Pavilion, tennis courts, hard standing and children’s play area.
The Trust has always been financed by money raised at events but in recent history this has not proved to be sufficient to cover costs. A policy of encouraging rentals of the halls was therefore adopted and the Trust is now on a firm financial footing. The only money received as a regular grant has been gratefully received from North Waltham Parish Council, which for the past five years has made an annual grant to cover grounds maintenance. There is no funding to the Trust from borough or county councils and all the costs are met by the village.
Every village organisation has the right to be represented on the Trust and meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month in the Pavilion at 8pm. Every villager is also entitled to attend the meetings.
The current committee is dedicated to increasing the facilities offered on the Meadow and in the halls and we are looking at ways of obtaining funds to do so. All suggestions are welcome, whether for new goal posts, children’s seesaw or a new sports hall. The Trust is the village’s trust and all the facilities on the site are run by and for North Waltham.
