Care Fund Update: Newsletter, March 2020: Start of Busy and Rewarding Year!

The Care Fund reports that 80 pensioners have been helped with grants towards their utility bills: 140 seniors in the town had their days brightened, we are sure, when Christmas parcels were delivered personally by Trust volunteers to their front doors.

Our Befriending team is growing under the leadership of Sally Arbuthnott with nearly 20 people – not by any means all perhaps older people who mightn’t be able to get about as much, but others in our community as well who welcome a caring eye and a cheerful word. They are visited on a regular basis.

We have helped 40 families with the ever-increasing cost of essential school trips.

The Home Visits team continues to visit between 50 and 60 families a month with financial problems. Looking forward to 2020 the Outings team is planning an array of trips for local seniors from tea parties to barge trips.

Looks like being another busy and rewarding year ahead all round!

07 March 2020

In Other News

Harpenden Trust Seniors Fair – 1st April 2026 - Rothamsted Park

11 March 2026
The Harpenden Trust Seniors Fair will take place on Wednesday, 1st April from 10:30am to 1:00pm at the Eric Morecambe Centre in Rothamsted Park.   Over 40 exhibitors will be there - a mix of voluntary and commercial organisations and charities offering a range of support and social activities.  Everyone is welcome – come and discover what is available for yourself or a family member or friend. In addition, the Harpenden Museum, run by Harpenden & District Local History Society will…
More

The First Blue Plaque in Harpenden

11 March 2026
Steve Pryor the Chair of the Community Fund of the Harpenden Trust was delighted to be invited to the unveiling of the first blue plaque in Harpenden. The blue plaque was installed to acknowledge the tremendous work carried out by Harpenden resident Judy Fryd. Judy had a daughter who suffered from learning disabilities and in 1946 founded an association that would provide help for children suffering from the same problems as her daughter. This association became the Royal Mencap Society…
More

New Support Pod for Harpenden Mencap - supported by the Harpenden Trust Community Fund

04 March 2026
Harpenden Mencap is an independent charity caring for adults with learning disabilities in Harpenden and the local area. Founded in 1959, the charity provides accommodation-based support to a thriving community of 33 adults and offers wellbeing-focused activities through its Britannia and Allotment Clubs, benefiting over 50 people in total.  The 24 hour support Harpenden Mencap provides is enhanced by the recent provision of a new Support Pod.  The Support Pod in Batford is now complete - this new building provides a…
More

Community Fund contributes to the installation of a garden ramp at Homedell House

16 December 2025
Homedell House is a well established Retirement Housing Complex in Harpenden where some of the residents are disabled and getting into the garden has proven difficult. The Community Fund are delighted to have provided a grant contributing towards the installation of a ramp into the garden making access that much easier. It is now regularly used and Mary Moynihan, Development Manager at Homedell House confirms 'the residents all love the ramp and thank you again for the Harpenden Trust contribution'.
More