Plaisterers Charitable Trust

On 1 July 1980 a Trust Deed was signed by the then Master, Wardens and Members of the Court of Assistants establishing the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers’ Charitable Trust (Registered Charity Number 281035) as a registered charity with the Charity Commission, to be the active conduit for awarding bursaries, grants, sponsorship and undertaking other charitable activities on behalf of The Plaisterers’ Company.

Although the Company is “the Custodian Trustee”, the Charity is an independent entity, governed by Charity Law and managed by seven Trustees appointed in accordance with the terms of the Trust Deed.

Four Managing Trustees appointed annually (in July) by the Court of Assistants:

1. Past Master Margaret Coates (The Company’s Charity Steward)
2. Past Master Stephen Gilbert
3. Liveryman Adam Edwards
4. Liveryman Sami Steinbock

There are 3 Ex-officio Managing Trustees, who are the following Officers for the time being of the Company and one co-opted member:

1. The Master
2. The Deputy Master
3. The Clerk – Colonel Garth Manger OBE
4. Liveryman Ross Ashworth

Since the Charity was established in 1980, there have been three major appeals to Liverymen and Freemen, resulting in the creation of Designated Funds, the income from which supports the following three annual Bursaries: –

• The Harry Humber Bursary for a music-based initiative.
• The Henry Mott Bursary for a chorister at Peterborough Cathedral.
• The 500th Anniversary Bursary for a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral.

The Charity has also received donations, which are retained in Restricted Funds, the income from which is used for the following specific purposes: –

The Manchester & Salford and Restricted Training Fund, resulting from the proceeds on the winding-up of the Manchester, Salford and District Building Trades Employers’ Association in 2002, together with a significant donation from a Liveryman in 2007, for education and training in the quality and diversity of plastering and dry lining skills in the UK; The Spurling Bursary, established in 2017 by Liveryman Andrew Spurling in recognition of the 200th Anniversary (1817 – 2017) of some twelve Spurling members of the Spurling family, of whom seven were former Masters of the Company, for the education and training of a plasterer in heritage skills plastering.

Each year the Master designates a personal charity.

Over and above the education and training projects, the Company’s Charitable Trust also supports Liverymen and Freemen of the Company in need and their widows and dependents together with other charitable causes including the provision for bursaries.

Both Peterborough and St Paul’s Cathedrals are the recipients of annual bursaries to assist with the education of a chorister.

Plaisterers’ Hall also plays host not only to the Company’s social occasions, but also a number of charitable fund-raising events, other Livery Company dinners and commercial lettings.

In 2022 the Plaisterers’ Charitable Trust (PCT) set up the Plaisterers’ Platinum Jubilee Fund (PPJF) in honour of our late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Read more about the fund.