Robert Windle’s Foundation Newsletter summer 2019
The Grammar School is owned and has been run by the trustees of “Robert Windle’s Foundation” since 1599. When money left by Robert Windle for the people of ancient parish of Thornton in Craven was used to build a school. The school closed in 1911 and the foundation then let the building to various community groups. The last of these, the Lead Mining Museum folded in 2015. The trustees then took the decision to run the building themselves, turning it into a centre for learning, helping well-being, supporting arts and crafts and to make it available for community use. This has taken a lot of time and effort.
So far we have installed a downstairs fully assessable toilet, improved the drainage at the rear of the building to reduce the amount of damp on the rear wall, redecorated downstairs and other improvements. We are currently upgrading the kitchen this includes; replacing the very rotten window and draughty door, tanking of the rear wall, lining the walls and installing a new non-slip floor covering. This work was partly funded by a lottery grant and a Co-op grant. We are now fundraising to put in new units and to decorate. The kitchen will then meet modern hygiene standards and will be of great benefit all our users.
Currently we hold the following events/meetings
We hold a craft group every Friday afternoon 1 – 3pm anyone can attend the only charge is a donation for tea and cake. You can bring any craft or come along and learn a new craft.
We have a yoga group for people with health problems on Monday evenings. We may also have a second Yoga class and Tai-chi in September – watch this space.
The churches together meet once a month to join together to pray and sing hymns.
We hold monthly coffee mornings/Bric-a-Brac sales on the last Tuesday in the month.
We plan to hold a Saturday “Open Day/sale” on the 24th August 10-2pm, we will have a large stock of “bric a brac, and craft items for sale, homemade cakes and other refreshments, so come along for “a Brew, a Browse and maybe grab a Bargain” look out for the advertisements for more details.
We rent out the upstairs as workshop space to Mrs. Bead – craft teacher and beader , and to Danielle Kay – Herbalist.
The money we raise goes partly as grants given to any group working with young people or local schools. We have given out over £2,000 in grants so far these include all the local schools (Thornton in Craven, Earby, Kelbrook, Salterforth, Barnoldswick Church and St. Joseph’s), Earby Brass Band, Guides and Brownies, local football teams and others. The rest of the money goes to maintain/upgrade the building, as this is a grade 2* listed building it is expensive to keep in good order.
We the trustees would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have helped us to keep the building in good order this includes a big thankyou to Tom and Alan who cut the grass and do some outside maintenance, all the ladies who help us with the catering for our events and to all the people who donate and buy items from our web page and other sales. Many thanks to you all, we could not do the work without you.
The room is available for hire for small groups please get in touch for details.
If you would like to help us in this work please get in touch. This could be a donation of unwanted goods to sell, or buy from our facebook page, or help with coffee mornings and other events, attending one of the groups or helping with the general up-keep of our wonderful building.
We hope you can continue to support us to allow us to keep this beautiful building in good order and available for local people to enjoy and to support the local groups.
If you have any queries, suggestions or help please do get in touch.
Check out the web site for further information www.robertwindlefoundation.org
Or see our facebook page or email us at robertwindlefoundation@outlook.com
Or call in on a Friday afternoon 1 – 3 to speak to a trustee.