Through the determination of Richard Black, the then Chairman of the EFA, and the effort and generosity of the late Philip Curtis, the immediate Past President of the EFA, the Charitable Trust came into being in 1993 with the endorsement of the EFA’s Patron, Lord Kingsdown, and the first meeting of the Trustees was held at Cambridge on 9th July of that year.
The Trust Deed provides for up to seven trustees, including the EFA Chairman and one other nominee from the EFA as ex officio trustees. The first Trustees were Philip Curtis (Chairman), John Rimer (Treasurer) and Dale Vargas, and Richard Black (Chairman of the EFA). At the first meeting, Rodney Knight was appointed followed shortly after by Derek Whitehead as Secretary. In November of the same year Mike Fenn was appointed as the second co-opted Trustee from the EFA.
In November 1996, Michael Constantinidi, as Chairman of the EFA replaced Richard Black, who agreed to continue to support the Trust as a consultant. In June 2002 Rodney Knight was appointed Chairman following the death of Philip Curtis and Michael Constantinidi filled the vacancy and continued as a Trustee until he resigned in February 2004. Richard Barber, as the new Chairman of the EFA was appointed an ex officio Trustee in November 2003. John Batting was appointed a Trustee on 23rd February 2007.
The main provision of the Trust Deed is to enable and encourage boys and girls up to the age of 18 and students in full time education to age 25 to play the game of “Eton Fives”. The Trust operates very closely with the EFA Board so that financial assistance normally follows recommendations from the EFA.
The Trustees commitments are concerned with:
During the first months, drafts of an appeal were prepared with the purpose of targeting all EFA members and former fives players. In March 1995 the appeal was launched. The response from the 500 EFA members was below expectations. The appeal was also directed to current and past fives players who were not members of the EFA. In total, over 600 appeal letters were sent out. 107 donations were received with only 65 from EFA members. Many donations were covenanted so the initial response of £38,000 represented the actual money available to the Trust in the first year. The total raised to date as shown below does include bequests and new donors. Funds raised so far are:
At a Trustees’ meeting early in 2006 it was decided that a Second Appeal should be launched. Initially this has been concentrated on existing EFA members to whom the Appeal documentation was sent in November 2006.
The First Appeal:
1994.....£9,850.......... 2001.....£4,887
1995...£19,044.......... 2002.....£3,464
1996.....£8,185.......... 2003.....£2,705
1997.....£7,221.......... 2004.....£3,178
1998.....£6,056.......... 2005.....£3,136
1999.....£5,316.......... 2006.....£2,732
2000.....£5,041..........
TOTAL.................................£80,815
The Second Appeal:
2007.....£58,000
Cambridge Courts. The axe fell on Portugal Place in June 1995. The promise of replacement facilities for all the ball games played there failed to materialize and now, 2007, the planned sports centre does have a target date of 2009 to coincide with the 800 year anniversary of the University. Fortunately the Trust was able to negotiate with The Leys for their two courts to be available to the University Eton Fives Club. A grant was made to renovate the courts which were regularly used until 2006 when The Leys decided to convert one court for climbing.
Grants to date have been made to:
Eaton, Norwich............................. Shrewsbury
Eton College................................. St. Bartholomew’s
Lancing......................................... St. Bees
The Leys....................................... Stowe
Magdalene, Cambridge................. Uppingham
Queen Elizabeth, Barnet................ Westway
Oakham........................................ Wolverhampton
RGS High Wycombe
Meetings. The Trustees normally meet three times a year. Until 2002 they were generally held at Cambridge, but recently it has been the policy to hold meetings at schools in order to further promote the game. There is then an opportunity to meet Head Masters and Masters in Charge of Fives. Meetings have so far been held at:
Aldenham............................ Cranleigh
Emanuel.............................. Harrow
Lancing............................... Mill Hill
RGS High Wycombe.......... St.Olave’s
Stowe................................ Westway Sports Centre
Constructed by Mike Fenn
21 August 2007
efa@etonfives.co.uk