Our Projects

Pensford ChurchIn June 2013 the first Trustees were elected. They would like to know if there is a project you would like to be considered for sponsorship by the Trust.

Please look here to see how nominations for projects can be made.

For more information please read the Constitution of the Pensford, Publow and the Stanton’s Community Trust.

We hope that the awards outlined below give an idea of the types of grant Trustees are keen to make. Grants that benefit a large group of people, which encourage a mixing of the generations, and which encourage activities within the villages are very much core to what we seek but there will be many other areas that we will be keen to consider in the coming months and years.

The Trustees are delighted to have made the following recent grants:

Jubilee Grants: 2022 – £330.89

Three small grants were awarded to assist with jubilee celebrations in Stanton Drew. The first of £140 provides scarves for every member of the community choir, a second grant of £100 helped sponsor a feature musician for a free jubilee concert for the whole community. The Third grant of £90.89 provided a modern audio mixer for use at the above event and for other events in Stanton Drew church.


Stanton Wick Green – Rewilding Project: 2021 – up to £1,445.80

Trustees supported a grant application for a community led project to enhance Stanton Wick green, enabling a wild flower area, replacement tree and bench. All the work will be done by local volunteers with the project overseen voluntarily by Mary Payne. The grant was sought to fund seed, bulbs, plant plugs and a new Rowan tree. Locals had made contributions to start the project and a new bench had been made and donated. This project will take a couple of years to complete.


Stanton Drew Church, Clock Chime Repair: 2021 – £441

A grant was agreed by trustees for the cost of repairing the clock chimes. Many villagers enjoy hearing the clock chime. This was an unusual request and trustees awarded the full cost as they accepted that COVID has impacted on the ability to fund raise, either through the Community Cafe or other events and bookings such as weddings. However the application indicated significant skilled volunteer hours to remove, re-install and calibrate the chimes for the community.


Parish Magazines: 2 x £100

The PPSCT has gave small grants to both local Parish Magazines. These magazines always publish the 100 club results and other PPSCT activity free of charge. As a result of Covid both magazines were lacking in funding and It was felt that they provide useful information for residents and a grant was made in recognition of their support.


Pensford Primary School: 2020: £3,000 

An application to help with a grant towards a project to replace the Reception/KS1 play equipment at the side of the school was received in November 2020. Trustees agreed a  grant of £2,000 unconditionally towards the project, with up to £1,000 further funding conditional on the school match funding the £1,000 from parents and other supporters.


Stanton Drew War Memorial: 2020: £4,000 plus  

The Community Trust has agreed a  grant of £4,000  which is approximately a third of the total project costs, plus it has set aside a further £1K match funding against residents donations and will be happy to receive donations towards the project under the terms of Gift Aid.

See the full article here.


Stanton Drew Sportsfield Association: 2020: £3,000 plus  

The cricket pitch in Stanton Drew required a pitch upgrade to provide an all weather pitch the would be especially useful in enabling Youth and Ladies teams training. Trustees were very enthusiastic to support this, particularly as they recognised that the club had members from a wide area, including the Publow with Pensford parish area as they do not have cricket facilities. Accordingly, they approved the grant requested of £3,000 approximately a third of the total project costs, in addition they offered to assist in taking residents donations towards the project, reclaiming Gift Aid as appropriate.


The Robert Bailey Archive: 2020 – £2,000

It is a privilage to be able to help Pensford History Group with this locally important archive project.

See the full article here.


New Defibrillator For All: 2020 – £1,099

The Trust were pleased to be able to part fund this combined project to provide a new defibrillator in Stanton Wick.

See the full article here.


Covid Leaflets

The PPSCT has gave small grants to both local Parish Councils, Publow with Pensford and Stanton Drew, to cover the publication of a local information leaflet for residents.


Three New Handbells: 2019/2020

Stanton Drew handbell ringers were successful in seeking a grant to add missing notes to their set of bells.  The Trust support with a grant of £1,279.

See the full article here.


Stanton Drew Finger Post Refurbishment: 2019 – £2,175

Stanton Drew Parish Council have completed refurbishment of their 4 fingerposts with the Trust support, of a grant of £2175.

See the full article here.


St Thomas Becket Tower: 2019 – £630

St Thomas Becket Tower, Pensford has been able to install safety rails to enable re-opening of the tower roof to visitors with grant from PPSCT of £630. More detail here.


Stanton Drew WI, Centenary Tapestry: 2019 – £430

Stanton Drew WI are continuing their centenary project with a grant of up to £430 grant towards their costs. The Chew Valley Gazette highlighted their projects here.


Pensford School Upgrading Play Area: 2019 – £7,500

The Trust are delighted to have seen Pensford School playground enhancement complete, with the Trust funding a magnificent new climbing frame with the largest grant to date of £7,500.

See the full press release here.


Pensford Memorial Hall, Childrens Play Area: 2019 – £1166

Pensford village playground project has been successfully completed with the Trust funding 6 colourful mushrooms at a cost of £1166.The full press release is here.


Pensford School subscription to “The Junior Week”: 2019 – £193. Great CVG article.


Pensford School subscription to Philosophy for Children: 2019 – £35. 


Stanton Drew Church, 6th Bell Installation: 2018 – £1,500

The Mendip Times covered the story!


Publow Church, Bell Tower Renovation: 2018 – £4,000


Pensford Local History Group: 2018 – £1,212

2018 saw the fiftieth anniversary of the great floods in the Chew Valley of July 1968. It was very uplifting to see our villagers coming together to put on some moving exhibitions of photographs and memorabilia, together with village gatherings, over an ironically beautiful weekend. The Trust was able to play its part by funding (by loan of £1212) the production of an excellent illustrated book. It is very pleasing to report that sales of the book have been such that our funding was repaid in early 2019. This is an example of the Trusts ability to facilitate important projects that would not happen without our financial firepower.


Stanton Drew Church, Tower Maintenance: 2018 – £1,000


Heritage Walk Project: 2018 – £1,000

Pensford Local History Group is working on a project to document local walks which reference many of the interesting buildings, landmarks and countryside across the Pensford and Stanton Drew area comprising part of the communities’ historical legacy….  In this case the Trust is funding approximately £1000 for the initial print run which will enable the leaflets to be available in time for the 1968 Great Flood commemoration…. See full press release.


Community First Responder volunteers: 2018 – £1,000

Pensford, Publow and the Stantons Community Trust has awarded a grant of £1250 to the two Community First Responder volunteers who serve the rural villages around the Chew Valley area…..  View this press release.


“Bin It!” Poster Project”: 2018 – £70

The PPSCT were delighted to be able to support Shirley Edwards and Stanton Drew School pupils with a litter poster project. View the press article.


Further grants: 2017 – £4,028.25

Trust grants paid in the year 2017 include waterproofing restoration work to the heritage Pensford “lock up” of £528.25 together with £2,000 to the Stanton Drew Sports Field Association to purchase their new “El Torro” mower to keep their fields in order, without which they could not function. There was also a further grant of £1,500 from restricted funds to finish their pavilion project.


Pensford finger post project: Autumn 2016 – £1,500

Do you ever notice the unobtrusive black posts with white fingers calmly directing traffic, not only to our cities and towns, but also to local villages through a network of rural lanes? Many of these heritage signposts are in need of repair or restoration and some have been replaced with plastic fingers.  View this press release.


Stanton Drew Sports Field: Summer 2016 – £4,000

Pensford, Publow and the Stantons Community Trust  has been called to help with a challenging community project to breathe life into the Stanton Drew sports pavilion facilities. View this press release.


Thomas a Beckett Tower: Summer 2016 – £400

St. Thomas Becket Tower is a fabulous 14th century church tower in Pensford which has seen its use increase with exhibitions, links with the school, historic tours and singing. A small grant of c £400 has been agreed for some heating and lighting to enhance the comfort of the facility.


Culvery Woods: Spring 2016 – £455

Culvery Wood has benefitted from Mrs Meg Thomas donating a substantial plot of land to extend the woodland area which is available for all to enjoy. An award of £455 was made to enable the legal transfer of the land to be made.


Acker Bilk stone bench: Spring 2016 – £1,200

Acker Bilk Memorial Bench is currently being crafted by George Tyler. The Trust has awarded £1200 to add to funds contributed by Publow with Pensford PC, the Pensford Music Festival and private donors. View this press release.


Stanton Drew School: Spring 2016 – £5,500

Stanton Drew School has been awarded £5500 towards an exciting project to maximise the enjoyment and benefit of their very limited playground by installing playground equipment. This will help a small space deliver high quality play which this successful and hardworking School deserves. View this press release.


Pensford Primary School: Autumn 2015 – £1,400

Pensford Primary School was awarded £1400 to enable the whole school to benefit from enhanced and exciting learning opportunities delivered through a Science Workshop Day and Maths Puzzle Day.


Pensford memorial Hall: September 2015 – £2,500

The Trust, led by Chairman Andrew Hillman, has extended a hand to grant funds to help maintain and improve Pensford Memorial Hall, recognising how valuable the Hall facility is to the local community. View this press release.


Stanton Drew and Pensford Pre-School: May 2015 – £1,000

The trust was pleased to fund two staff members to renew their compulsory first aid training and to support the purchase of sets of wet weather clothes, together with funds to repair and re-weather outside equipment storage sheds. View this press release.


Pensford Tennis Club: May 2015 – £3,000

Pensford Tennis Club serves both communities, it has recieved £3000 grant to add to a further £11,000 of fundraising to resurface both of their courts, leaving them fit for the long term! View this press release.


Stanton Drew School Gardening Club: May 2015 – £500

The pupils of Stanton Drew Primary are very much looking forward to the  Spring term this year.
Thanks to the generosity of the PPS Community Trust, they are now the proud owners of new tools, a wheelbarrow, gloves and a super new garden seat, complete with storage box, which can be locked for safety. View this press release.


Pensford Primary School: October 2014 – £1,500

Funds towards their innovative iPad project. This will help equip the school with iPads which will be used to access the modern learning resources which children enjoy. The school is also looking at the launch of an iPad training scheme run by the children for the benefit of local residents. View this press release.


Pensford Memorial Hall: October 2014 – £500

A grant for the installation of security equipment, which had been donated by others, following a spate of break ins earlier this year. View this press release.