The same Governors are Trustees of the Nicholas Chamberlaine's Hospital and Sermon Charity which has responsibility for the Almshouses, and of the Nicholas Chamberlaine Schools' Foundation which is responsible for the three Church schools in the town.
Governing Bodies
Both Charities are run in accordance with their own Schemes prepared by the Charity Commission. Unusually. each Charity is administered by the same Governors or Trustees who give their services voluntarily. Day to day administration of the Hospital and Sermon Charity is carried out by the Clerk and by the Almshouse Scheme Manager. Administration of the Schools Foundation is carried out by the Clerk/Legal Adviser.
Statement of Purpose
"The aim of the Governors of the Hospital and Sermon Charity is to provide modern, comfortable, unfurnished accommodation in the Almshouses in a secure, pleasant setting, enabling residents to maintain their independence, to look after themselves, and to come and go as they please."
As already indicated, the same Governors are responsible for the administration of the Nicholas Chamberlaine School Foundation, which includes three Church of England Schools, within the former Bedworth Urban District Council.
The Trustees are continually aware of the need to carry out the wishes of Nicholas Chamberlaine who had the interests of Bedworth at heart over the 51 years that he served as Rector before his death in 1715. During those years he bought local farmland that contained coal and he leased the land for mining. The income from this and other investments subsidised the cost of the original Almshouse built before his death, and the schools shortly afterwards. His legacy to Bedworth, then no more than a small village, established two small schools - one for boys and one for girls. His original legacy included other means of improving the life of its younger residents including further education and apprenticeships. Over the past 306 years since his death, Trustees have continued to buy and sell land as an investment, in line with his Will, to perpetuate his legacy. More schools were built as Bedworth grew together with the existing replacement Almshouse in 1840.
The Trusts support the Almshouse, the three Foundation Schools and a diversity of projects in Bedworth. They also continue to assist Bedworth’s young people with discretionary grants for University, further education and apprenticeships.
