Christmas Doles Recipient (2018)
In line with both the longstanding responsibilities of the Feoffees and the Charity and to fulfil the objectives of our schedule with the Charities Commission our present charitable work consists of two main areas;
Support for the poor and needy throughout Rotherham and
Provision of Educational Scholarships and Bursaries
Support for the poor and needy
This provision manifests itself in the longstanding tradition of the distribution of the Annual Doles. This tradition originated from the very start of the Feoffees in the 14th century. Over the intervening years this has evolved into the distribution of a cash gift to recipients each December at a ceremony which now tends to be held in All Saints’ Church, Rotherham Minster. Recipients of the Doles vary in age but the basic premise for receiving a gift is to help those who are poor or in need.
The Feoffees also work with some of the local voluntary sector Charitable organisations and the All Saints’ Churchwardens to help identify suitable recipients. Details of eligibility for receipt of the Doles can be obtained through the ‘contact us’ section of this website or alternatively via the Churchwardens at Rotherham Minster.
Doles Distribution – 2020
Despite the local restrictions the annual Doles distribution was able to take place, almost as ‘normal’, in December 2020. The Greave, Jeremy Mason, was able to give the gifts out to 16 elderly and needy people in Rotherham Minster, on a socially distanced basis. There were 41 other recipients who also received Feoffees Doles and, this year, arrangements were made to enable those recipients who were not able to attend to still receive their gifts.
Some of the other Feoffees joined the Greave for this occasion and helped to marshal the recipients so that adequate distancing could be maintained. The vicar of Rotherham, the Rev. Philip Batchford and two of the Churchwardens, Anne Asher and Jayne Rogan, also attended and thanks must be given to all three for allowing this ancient ceremony to continue despite the restrictions under which everyone is living.
Provision of Educational Scholarships and Bursariers
Over the past 15 years The Feoffees have initiated investments whose income is used directly for providing scholarships and Bursaries. At the moment there are three different awards but it is one of the Charity’s objectives to increase the amount of money raised in this area and thereby increase both the number and value of these offerings for the benefit of the young people in Rotherham. More detail of the three existing awards are given hereunder.
Feoffees Award Winner 2024
Sinead Ward was the winner of the level 3 apprenticeship award, in March 2024, which is run in association with Rotherham College.
New Initiative with Rotherham’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Training Centre For Apprentice Award
The Feoffees have cemented a relationship with the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre – and is sponsoring one of its apprentices to undertake a new role advocating STEM activities. This new partnership with the AMRC Training Centre will provide an apprenticeship award, a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) champion.
The chosen apprentice, who will be selected annually, will be an advocate for apprenticeships and will visit schools in the area, explaining how the apprenticeship programme works and can be an alternative to the traditional university route.
Advanced apprentice Subhan Yousaf, who is doing an engineering and manufacturing support technician apprenticeship at the AMRC Training Centre, has been selected as Feoffees’ first sponsored STEM champion, with the award valued at £500. The 20-year-old apprentice, who works at leading sensing technology business, Tribosonics, between his studies, said: “I feel extremely fortunate to be able to gain the sponsorship through the Feoffees and being their first STEM champion - and I intend to make as much from it as I can.
“In this role, I am hoping to meet various upcoming and previously experienced apprentices through this scheme to potentially network and get a bigger scope of engineering as a whole, such as all the different pathways that I may not know about. I also want to attend more events so I can give my personal highlights of the apprenticeship so far and what others should do if they are hoping to go down the same path that I did.” Prior to joining Tribosonics/AMRC, Subhan attended Oakwood School, in Rotherham.
Lisa Sellers, schools’ engagement lead at the AMRC Training Centre, added: “The AMRC Training Centre is pleased and proud to start our partnership with the Feoffees.
“We welcome the support for our apprentices who are undertaking the STEM champion role. This is a great opportunity for these apprentices to develop their confidence and access a wider range of opportunities that will arise from the sponsorship.”
John Bingham, managing Feoffee, said that the Feoffees are absolutely delighted to be able to create a relationship with the AMRC Training Centre, adding: “We have made an award to support one of the many excellent apprentices that are being trained in this world-class centre.
“We hope that, now established, the Feoffees will continue to make this an annual award. Our sincere congratulations to Subhan and we wish him well for the future in this role.”
This is the third apprenticeship award made annually by the Feoffees.
For details about apprenticeships at the AMRC Training Centre can be found via: https://amrctraining.co.uk/apprenticeships
Feoffees Award For A Level 3 Apprenticeship For 2023
In conjunction with RNN Group, The Feoffees of the Common Lands of Rotherham awarded their Level 3 apprenticeship award of 2023, in February, at a ceremony in the Wharncliffe Restaurant at Rotherham College. The recipient is Jasmine Harrison and she is a level 3 apprentice electrician who works at EQUANS. Since starting her course Jasmine has developed significantly and she is described as approaching every task with interest and vigour. Her employers believe she is a great asset to the team with her infectious approach and determination to succeed, particularly so because she is in what is mainly a male workforce. EQUANS believe Jasmine has become a role model for female employees in their company
We wish Jasmine every success in her chosen career and hope that she will be able to make very good use of her award.
Rudston Bursary Award for 2022
The Feoffees of the Common Lands of Rotherham recently made their annual Rudston Bursary award for 2022, at Sheffield Hallam University. The recipient is Amy Leonard who took up her first teaching position at Treeton Church of England School, in September 2022.
The Bursary is a monetary award, paid out over three years, for outstanding newly qualified teachers who have taken up their first teaching position in Primary/Infant school within the Rotherham Metropolitan Borough. It is organised in conjunction with the Institute of Education at Sheffield University. This Institute is the organisation within South Yorkshire responsible for the teaching of prospective Primary/Infant School teachers, many of whom take up positions in Rotherham Schools.
Amy is the fifth recipient of the Bursary, since its inception in 2016 and we wish her every success in the future and hope she enjoys significant personal benefit from the award.
Second Feoffees Apprenticeship Award For 2022
The Feoffees of the Common Lands of Rotherham awarded their second apprenticeship award of 2022, recently. The recipient is Alex Wheeler, who is a level 5 apprentice working with AESSEAL in Rotherham.
After working in several different areas during his apprenticeship with AESSEAL Alex is currently working in the Technical Engineering Department as an Applications Engineer, to produce customer facing technical documents to assist with system selection. Alex is also continuing his studies to achieve higher qualifications at Rotherham College, RCAT, and he commented that he greatly appreciated the award and he felt it was an honour to receive it.
We wish Alex every success in the future and hope that he will be able to make very good use of his award,
Each year The Feoffees make two apprenticeship awards, in conjunction with RNN, each of which is valued at £750. The awards are open to anyone studying at one of the RNN locations and employed as an apprentice for a Rotherham employer. The awards are not restricted to any particular branch of engineering, construction, commerce or other area of trade or profession. Typically, one of the awards is provided to a level 3 apprentice and the other to a level4/5 apprentice.
Further details about these awards and how to apply, can be found on this web site.
Feoffees Make Their First Apprenticeship Award
The first of the recently initiated Apprenticeship Awards, funded by the Feoffees, and in conjunction with Rotherham College of Arts & Technology, was made as part of a ceremony held at RCAT. The recipient of the first award is Kamran Hussein.
Kamran has completed a level 3 Gas Engineering course and is employed by Engie, in Rotherham. Kamran’s career path has been different to many ‘traditional’ apprentices in that he started this particular career in his 30’s by undertaking an apprenticeship in a level 2 course in plumbing, before deciding to specialise in gas engineering at level 3 and above. Kamran would like to train apprentices himself, in the future.
The award is worth £750 and Kamran wants to use this to purchase some good quality tools to enable him to do his job to the highest standard. The Feoffees send Kamran every good wish for his future career and sincerely hope this award will help him achieve his goal.
The Feoffees and Harold Bridges Scholarships Recipients 2021
The presentation of the Bridges and Feoffees scholarships, awarded annually, were made recently. This year the recipients of both were from Wath Academy and this year’s Greave, Tony Grice, (centre) is pictured having made the presentations. The Bridges Scholarship was awarded to Katie Booth (pictured left of the Greave), who will be reading for a degree in Biomedical science at, the University of Oxford. The Feoffees Scholarship was awarded to Elli-Jane Little (pictured right of the Greave) who will be studying History at the University of Sheffield. Also pictured are Miss L. Slasor, Head of Sixth Form at Wath Academy and the Wath Academy Principal, Mr. L. Ransome
The Feoffees education committee stated that ‘the applications from both of these candidates were of the highest quality, as were their outstanding ‘A’ Level grades, and they were also backed up by very sound supporting statements from their tutors at Wath Academy.’
The Feoffees and Harold Bridges Scholarships Recipients 2020
The Feoffees of The Common Lands of Rotherham have identified the recipients of their scholarships for 2020 and the awards, to Cora Lancashire and Hannah Jones, were made recently, immediately before the two winners went away to start their University studies.
The Feoffees Scholarship was awarded to Cora Lancashire, who will be studying History at the University of York. Cora was unaware of this scholarship but, thanks to her Grandma, and an article in The Rotherham Advertiser, informing A level students in all Rotherham Sixth Forms of its availability, she was encouraged to apply and as a result she was adjudged the most suitable applicant this year. Cora lives in Rotherham and her secondary education was at Oakwood School and then Thomas Rotherham College.
Cora is pictured below (left), receiving her award and certificate from one of the Feoffees, John Bingham, who was standing in for this year’s Greave of The Feoffees, Jeremy Mason.
The Bridges Scholarship recipient is Hannah Jones, who lives in Todwick, and has completed her secondary and A level education at Wales High School. She is pictured above (right), receiving her certificate and award. Hannah will be studying Physics at Collingwood College at the University of Durham and she was strongly supported in her application by her teachers at Wales High School. The Bridges Scholarship is awarded in memory of Harold Bridges, who hailed from Thurcroft and also studied at the University of Durham in the 1930’s. Harold Bridges eventually became CEO of Shell USA.
Both Cora and Hannah said that because of the national situation, their last year as sixth formers had been very different and somewhat tricky, but in each case the application and hard work that they had put in had resulted in justifiable rewards exemplified by the excellent results they had attained, and the award of the scholarships, of £1,000 each, could be said to be the icing on the cake.
The Harold Bridges Scholarship
Harold Bridges was a very distinguished Old Boy of Rotherham Grammar School. He was awarded a scholarship to attend the Grammar School and from there, in 1934, he won a scholarship to Armstrong College, Durham; a constituent College of the University of Durham. At Durham he studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and won the Stroud Laboratory Prize for Physics. Harold then had a long and successful career with Shell and rose to become CEO/President of Shell Canada, part of the Shell global empire. After this position in Canada Harold became the CEO/President of Shell USA; a position he then held until his retirement. Harold’s widow, the late Mrs Shirley Bridges was a generous benefactor of Thomas Rotherham College in the 1990’s as a result of which a scholarship was set up in his honour.
This scholarship is managed and awarded by the Feoffees of The Common Lands of Rotherham and is valued at £1000. It is given to a second year sixth form student about to enter the first year of their degree course at university and who intends to follow a course in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Engineering (but not Computing or Computer Engineering.) or a joint degree comprising a combination of these subjects.
The Feoffees Scholarship
After the reformation The Feoffeesy played a critical financial role in supporting Rotherham Grammar School and had always been represented on its Governing Body. After the Grammar School and Rotherham High School were abolished in 1966 Feoffee representatives were appointed to the Governing body of Thomas Rotherham College. At the incorporation of TRC in 1992 four Feoffees were required by Statute to be members of the TRC Governing Body. This situation continued until TRC moved back into the state-controlled schools sector in 2017.
One area in which the Feoffees continue to support education is by giving money through the award of scholarships to sixth form students educated in RMBC and about to enter university.The Feoffees’ Scholarship is valued at £1,000 and awarded to a second year sixth form student about to enter the first year of their degree course at university and who intends to undertake a course in English, Foreign Languages or History or a joint degree comprising a combination of these subjects.
The Rudston Bursary
Rudston Preparatory school was an independent School in Rotherham for children up to the age of 11. It was established in 1948 and closed in 2015. It was organised as a Charitable Trust and when it closed its trustees decided to donate a sum of money from that which remained (after all of the costs had been cleared) to Rotherham’s oldest charity; The Common Lands of Rotherham, the Trustees of which are the Feoffees. It is the Feoffees responsibility to decide how best to administer this donation. The first Bursary was awarded at the end of the 2018/2019 academic year.
It has been agreed with the former Rudston Trustees that their donation should be put to use as a bursary, to be awarded annually, to a newly qualified teacher, (NQT), taking up their first position as a primary (3-7 or 5-11) teacher in a school in the area covered by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC). The position taken must be based on a full-time contract. Teachers working as supply, covering for ‘leaves of absence’, maternity leave or being employed for short ‘fixed terms’ will not be eligible for this bursary.
The bursary is awarded in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and is valued at £2,500, to be paid in three instalments commencing during the first term of the successful teacher’s first post. The second and third instalments would be paid at a similar time during the second and third years of that teachers’ career. The continued payment to cover all three years will be dependent upon the successful teacher remaining as a teacher in a RMBC primary school for the full three years covering the Bursary. The Bursary would continue if the teacher moved to another primary school as long as it was to both a full-time contracted position and the new school was still in the RMBC area.
The amount awarded each year is currently as follows:
Year one: £ 650
Year two: £ 750
Year three: £1,100
The Rudston Bursary for 2020 has been awarded to Clare Brailsford-Latham, who completed her degree and teacher training at Sheffield Hallam University in July 2020. Clare has since taken up a position at Newman School in Whiston where she is specializing in teaching children with special educational needs and she hopes to use this bursary to further her specific expertise in this area.
Unfortunately, due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic, the traditional Hallam graduation ceremonies and departmental awards gatherings, usually held each November, could not be held. However, on 11th January 2021 a ‘zoom’ get together was arranged when Clare was officially ‘presented’ with her Bursary, albeit remotely. Hazel Yarlett, one of the Feoffees, attended on behalf of The Greave and was pleased to give this award to Clare.
Clare is the third recipient of this Bursary, awarded by The Feoffees, which recognises excellence in newly qualified teachers, who take up employment in a Rotherham School. The Bursary is valued at £2,500 and paid over a period of three years.
The first two recipients of the Rudston Bursary, Megan Jones and Poppy Bowen-Green are pictured having received their awards. They are flanked by the Greave for 2019/20, Giles Bloomer and David Owen, Head of Department of Teacher Training at Sheffield Hallam University.
Further Details
For further details and the terms and conditions of associated with each award please click on the respective links below to download a PDF copy which you can save or print.
The Feoffees Scholarship [180KB]
The Harold Bridges Scholarship [146KB]
The Rudston Bursary [105KB]
In addition, for sixth form pupils at any of the sixth forms in the following schools please enquire of your Head of Sixth Form Studies or your Principal. The scholarships are open to any sixth form student studying at any of these schools:
Aston, Brinsworth, Dinnington, Maltby, Swinton, Thomas Rotherham College, Wales, Wath, Wickersley
With respect to the Rudston Bursary more information can be obtained from the Office of the Department of Education at Sheffield Hallam University.
The Feoffees Keeping Busy During The Pandemic
The pandemic has not stopped the Feoffees and their families from raising funds for good causes. Val Badger, wife of the senior Feoffee, Chris Badger, has been extremely busy since the initial lockdown in March 2020. The situation inspired her to design and make bespoke masks and greetings cards, for sale in aid of charity. Since March Val has made hundreds of masks and cards and the money she has raised has all been donated to a number of local charities, including the Feoffees of the Common Lands of Rotherham. Val makes no charge for the material she uses, or her time, and therefore 100% of the amount people pay for the masks and cards goes directly to the respective charities.
The Feoffees were the first to receive a donation of £100, swiftly followed by Rotherham Hospice, Shiloh, Rotherham Minster, Lost Chord and Bluebell Wood, who similarly received £100 each. Given the ongoing national situation with the pandemic Val is still busy working to produce more masks and cards and, although she is not short of orders, she hopes the pandemic will be over soon as she is having difficulty in keeping up with demand.
The Feoffees and Rotherham Minster will be the recipients of the next series of donations. Thank you, Val (and Chris), for showing such initiative and working so hard to raise such a good amount of money.
"non nobis sed omnibus – not for us but for everyone"