The abridged accounts indicate once again that the Trust is nursing its resources for the greater demands which will be put on it in the years ahead.
Reference is made elsewhere to the untimely death of Martin Shortland-Jones but it is typical of someone who devoted so much of his life to the game of Eton Fives that he and his widow should have ensured that the Trust was included as a beneficiary on his death. Their generosity helps to explain why the item "Donations, including tax recovery", matches the two items in last year's accounts under "Donations and Covenants". Our grant to the EFA was £584 smaller which meant that investment income of £1982 more than covered total expenditure.
The saga of the Cambridge University courts continues but the time when each court game, represented at Portugal Place, will be asked to make a contribution to the large new complex planned on the new West Cambridge Science campus off Madingley Road cannot now be too far away. Tony Lemons, the University's Director of Physical Education, was proved right to be optimistic about the revised outline scheme which was accepted by the University Sports Syndicate at the end of November. This at last allowed Ove Arup to start on the detailed plans which are expected to be ready for consideration by the City Council Planning Committee by late August / early September. These should include provision for three Eton and three Rugby Fives courts. The City planners have been kept in touch by the architects and it is hoped, therefore, that final approval will not be subject to further long delay. (It is worth remembering that it was on 11 June 1995 that Portugal Place hosted the exhibition games to mark the imminent demolition of the courts.)
The other certain demand on the Trust's resources will come from the Westway development which, with its four Eton Fives courts, will hopefully open this October. The Trust is committed to making a major contribution towards the cost of the first year's coaching (estimated at about £10,000) and is fully supportive of the idea of encouraging this first major initiative in introducing the game to inner cities.
P.C.Curtis
Chairman
Constructed by Mike Fenn
19 September 2002
efa@etonfives.co.uk