Hayfield Development Trust

Why was it formed? How was it formed? Who are the trustees? What does it do?

At a meeting of the Hayfield Vital Villages Parish Plan* Steering Group, Dave Russ (KMRT representative) recommended that the group should consider setting up a Development Trust or similar body, to initiate, support and progress projects that the existing statutory bodies, e.g. Local Authorities, were either not able or willing to undertake.

The suggestion was considered by the Parish Plan Steering Group in March 2003. When the Aims and Objectives of such a body were discussed it was agreed that they should be focused on the needs and aspirations of the local population, and environment. Lyn Samuel offered to produce a draft copy for discussion.

At the April 2003 meeting, the Aims and Objectives were tabled and agreed. It was considered important that local people of good standing, preferably those who have been elected to public office and lived in the community for at least 10 years, should be approached to become Founding Trustees.

The following agreed to be the initial sponsors and directors/trustees:

Philip Gee, Chair of Parish Council, born in Hayfield and his family have lived in parish for generations;

Anthony Hallam, local dairy farmer whose family have lived in the parish for generations;

Lyn Samuel, member of parish council, who has lived in the parish for 30 years;

Sara Clarke, member and ex-chair of the parish council, who has lived in the parish for 12 years.

Lyn Samuel agreed to act as company secretary and would progress the incorporation process.

Other members of the Parish Plan Steering Group were asked to contact Lyn if they would like to nominate anyone else to be directors/trustees of the Trust a notice to this effect was placed on Parish Notice Boards.

The role of the trustees is to ensure the trust operates in line with its Aims and Objectives.

The Hayfield Development Trust was incorporated on 23rd May 2003.

After the local authority elections in May 2003, Mr P M Crompton, who had recently been elected as Chair of Hayfield Parish Council, was approached to see if he would become a trustee of HDT. He agreed and was elected to the Board of Trustees at the next AGM.

It was further proposed that HDT should apply to Charity Commissioners to see if it qualified for charitable status. After a slight rewording of the Aims and Objectives,
HDT was granted full charity status on 16th March 2004

It is a Company limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity

The Board of Trustees is composed of residents well known in the community, who have been elected to public office and/or have shown by their actions over a number of years have the best interests of the community as their objective.

It is listed on the Charity Commissioners Website:
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities

HDT is a Full Member of the Development Trust Association

It is also a member of:

High Peak Rural Deprivation Forum

High Peak Council for Volunteer Organisations

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Board of Trustees for 2008/9:

John McCall - Chairman

Lyn Samuel - Treasurer/ Co Secretary

Philip Gee

Derek Hallam

Elliott Roper

 

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To initiate, support and progress projects in the Hayfield area, that the existing statutory bodies are either not able or willing to undertake.

The day to day work of the trust is carried out through action groups, membership of which is open to anyone who has the skill, talent and time to contribute, if you feel you have please get in touch.

Completed Projects:

Digital Parish – Wireless Broad Band Service Phase 1 - one of, if not the first Rural Community WiFi Broad Band Internet Services in the World, cited in OECD publications

Virtual Parish Project - Feasibility Study

Transport Study - in conjunction with the Hope Valley & High Peak Transport Consortium

Old Station Feasibility Study

In 2004 HDT Trustees obtained funding from Social Enterprise East Midlands (SEEM) and commissioned a independent feasibility study into the development of the Old Station site in the center of Hayfield, under the leadership of Sally Cox, Development Officer of the High Peak Rural Deprivation Forum.

The resulting study, which formed part of the Hayfield Parish Plan included the results of extensive public consultation and a business plan that had found firm sources of funding, was accepted by Hayfield Parish Council as the preferred option.

In 2006 HDT were invited by Derbyshire County Council to meetings to investigate how the needs of DCC Countryside Service can be integrated into the Community Proposal, the Trust was happy to provide this expertise to the Parish and County Council.

Digital Challenge

In 2006 the Trust in partnership with High Peak Borough Council were the only community based project to be invited to make a presentation at the East Midlands event.

The Trust has subsequently been involved in advising local groups on community WiFi solutions for more remote areas in the region and has also received requests form overseas community projects for advice on setting up community WiFi and Broadband infrastructure.

Current Activities:

Digital Parish – Wireless Broad Band Service continues to operate and has recently introduced a ticketing system so that tourists can obtain the service on a short term basis via purchases from local businesses. It is even possible to sit in the Old School Field and use your iTouch to connect to the internet via the community service!

Virtual Parish Project - Environmental and Historical Archive
www.virtualparish.net/Archive-01.html

Graphic design
Members provided the graphic art work and layout for the Village Festival brochure, May Queen Brochure, Information boards, Parish News Letter and Parish Walks Leaflets free of charge as a contribution to community projects.

Hayfield Parish Website
www.Hayfield.uk.net is provided by the Trust and maintained by the members it is shortly to undergo a major overhaul

Electronic and Traditional Creative Arts
www.settvalley.com has been set up as a showcase and test site for electronic and creative arts that our members are working in

Project Groups - Lead Contacts

ICT/WiFi Programme - Lead contact: Elliott Roper

Under Bridge Historical Arts Project - Lead contact: Sue McCall

VP - Environmental & Historical Archive - lead contact: Phil Gee

Electronic Arts - lead contacts: Nick Waudby

Sustainable Hayfield - Lead contact: Joff Pincer/

Members of the trust have been working with many local groups including the Uniformed and other youth groups, Pre-School, Hayfield Primary and Senior Citizen groups

The day to day work of the trust is carried out by people who have the skill, talent and time to contribute, if you feel you have and would like to get involved, please get in touch.

for details email to: hayfield@developmenttrust.org for attention of lead contact