Oakley Charities
There are a number of local charities affiliated with Oakley. Please follow the links for more information.
POOR’S PIECE CHARITY
Originally called the Poor Folks' charity was founded in or about the year 1623–4. The trust estate now consists of a field on the Oxford Road let at £480 a year, for the general benefit of the poor. Traditionally this was wholly distributed to 20 ‘needy’ widows and widowers in Oakley Parish at Christmas. The charity has three trustees, one of whom is the vicar. Distribution has ceased since 2016, whilst the trustees look for more innovative ways of distributing the funds for the benefit of Oakley residents, since ‘needy’ widows and widowers were increasingly difficult to identify.
ALICE CARTER CHARITY
Near Brill Church are four alms-houses which were founded in 1591 by Alice Carter. Very little is known of the Carters who founded these alms-houses. There were originally five alms-houses, but they were re-built in 1842, the number was reduced to four. The original inmates had to give to Alice Carter one red rose or posy of flowers on St John Baptist’s Day. Nowadays, income comes from rental of Brill allotments and interest on investments.
Although this is a Brill Charity, some of the yearly distribution is given to Oakley villagers. One Oakley trustee sits on the charity and allocates to the Oakley recipients.
HART’S CHARITY
On 12th May 1664, John Hart of Cottisford (a village in north-east Oxfordshire) bequeathed to the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of Oakley, one annuity from a yearly rent charge of £3 to be paid for the training of one honest, godly, poor boy in some good trade. The annuity was however very irregularly paid. The rent was often retained by the overseer until it amounted to a large enough sum for apprenticing boys, who were sons of poor labourers and these were selected by the vestry. By the twentieth century, the charity was receiving an income of around £2 10s (£2.50) and would assist apprenticing Oakley boys until around 1986, when the last boy received assistance in his apprenticeship. Costs were then hugely outstripping the charity’s income and the charity was wound up in 2013.
Oakley Relief in Need Charity
The charity can trace its origins back to the closing years of the reign of King James I, when Brill, Boarstall and Oakley were in the heart of Bernwood Forest. King James was always short of money and as a means of raising funds, he decided on a policy of disafforestation. (Disafforestation is the process of removing Royal status from a forest). Because of the hardship of what we would now call Privatisation, a 220-acre area called Poor Folks’ Pasture allowing villagers to keep livestock and grow crops.
Oakley Relief In Need Charity (Charity registration number 202352)
About the Charity
Oakley Relief in Need Charity (ORINC) can trace its origins back to 1624, when under the reign of James I, ‘disafforestation’ of Bernwode Forest was permitted and common land was granted to Brill, Oakley and Boarstall.
The charity was established in its current format in 1971 with the purpose of providing support to residents of the Oakley parish who are in particular need or hardship, using income from land that the charity owns.
Support available from Oakley Relief In Need Charity
There are 5 core elements to how ORINC provides it’s support in 2023 – details are below.
The trustees consider whether applications for help meet the charity objectives of alleviating financial hardship and/or need for residents of Oakley.
Applicants MUST currently live in the Parish of Oakley and an application to the charity does not guarantee support. All applications are treated in the utmost confidence.
1) Hospital Transport
Transport can be provided to doctor or hospital appointments if you are unable to get yourself there independently. For details, please contact Jill Cherry on 01844 237682.
2) Disability Aids
ORINC has 2 wheelchairs, a commode and an overbed table available for villagers to borrow. For details on availability, please contact Janet Salter on 01844 237951 or Viv Webb on 01844 237135.
3) Annual Financial Grants
Students in higher education (university, apprenticeships etc) and those in the village in need (as self-assessed) are able to apply for the annual round of grants from ORINC. These applications should be made by the end of November, for consideration at the December meeting.
To apply, please speak to a trustee (details below) or submit the application form as advertised in the Oakley Informer and/or the Oakley Village Facebook Group.
4) Christmas Gifts to Village Pensioners
ORINC funds the annual delivery of Christmas gifts to village pensioners. These are delivered by the children of Oakley C of E School and Father Christmas, usually in the last week of term before the Christmas holidays. If you are of pension age and would like to receive a gift, please contact the school office on 01844 238364 before end November.
5) Need based Grants
Financial grants are available to parishioners or village organisations who need help and support to alleviate need or financial hardship. This might include things like adaptations for disabilities, provision of specialist equipment, extended ill-health or unemployment.
The trustees consider each application individually and applications can be made to a trustee at any time during the year.
Trustees and their Contact Details
Any questions or applications for support should be made to one of the trustees. Details are:
Sandra Durrant – Chair - sandradurrant06@hotmail.com or 07525 632774
Geoff Bradley – gjbradley@icloud.com or 01844 237247
Viv Webb - nickandviv@webb88.plus.com or 01844 237135
Rose Creese - rose_john_creese@hotmail.com or 01844 237276
Janet Salter – janetls@btinternet.com or 01844 237951
John Mole – john@moleskin.org or 01844 237786
Emma Mulcahy – contact via Oakley Village Facebook Page
Joanne Grey – jogreyopc@hotmail.com or 07715 516387