Annual Parish Meeting held at 7:30PM on Tuesday 14th April 2026 at Whittington Community Hall, Church Lane, Whittington, WR5 2RQ (///wonderfully.paper.agent)
Minutes
Present: Adam Hooper (Parish Council Chair), eleven parishioners
In attendance: David Hunter-Miller (Parish Council Clerk), Liz Turier (District Councillor), Linda Robinson (County Councillor), Susan MacLeod (Community Hall Committee), Helena Bennett (Fanny Clifton and Elizabeth Stephens Charity), Katie Lambeth-Mansell (Fanny Clifton and Elizabeth Stephens Charity), Kelly Leeming (Whittington C.E. Primary School), Jayne Rayer (Whittington Church), David Ball (Brethren Church)
1. Chairman’s welcome
Adam Hooper opened the meeting and welcomed attendees.
2. Apologies for absence
Apologies were noted from Richard Boase (Parish Councillor).
3. To approve the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on Tuesday 29th April 2025
It was RESOLVED to adopt the minutes as a true record and they were duly signed by the Chair.
4. Matters arising from those minutes (if any)
There were no matters arising.
5. To receive the Annual Report of the Parish Council by the Chairman
The months from May 2025 to today have seen a period of change, reflection, and vision for Whittington Parish Council.
Before I get into the details of the report, I’d like to acknowledge the people who make this parish council work. We are indebted to my fellow councillors who, month after month, give up their free time to make Whittington a great place to live and work. They swap between being planning officers, tree experts, fly-tipping officers, police liaison and spend an exorbitant amount of time researching information—all things that happen in the background away from Parish Council meetings. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a group of people who care as much about their local area as the members of Whittington Parish Council. Whittington is lucky to have this group of people, whom I’m proud to sit alongside.
My thanks to David. He is our constant support and guide through the myriad of topics and questions that we cover. David is the engine that keeps the Parish Council running with constant professionalism and dedication. He is also the voice in my ear who gently but firmly reminds me to hurry up in meetings and how it would be nice to go home before 11pm. Thank you, David, for all that you do. Congratulations to David for completing his PIALC qualification last year.
The Parish Council is supported by our district and county councillors. We thank Linda, Rob and Liz for another year of their support and for fighting for the issues that matter to the residents of Whittington.
I’d like to give a special mention to Steve Brooker. Despite no longer being a member of the Parish Council, Steve, along with Helena, has undertaken the mammoth task of understanding the SWDP scheme and the Worcestershire Parkway development in detail. He attends meetings, writes responses and keeps the parish council up to date with developments on these topics. A huge thank you to Steve for all of this.
From planning application documents the size of novels, to grant requests, a residents’ survey and reviewing traffic data, the last 12 months has covered it all!
We started the year by saying our thanks to Steve Brooker, who stepped down as chairman and as a councillor from the parish council. Steve is a regular contributor to our meetings, and we thank Steve for his continued input and support.
Parish councillors have joined and left us during the year. Something we will be focusing on in the coming 12 months is how the parish council becomes more visible to our parishioners and how we encourage them to engage with the parish council with the view of increasing the number of parish councillors in our meetings.
The parish council is pleased to be able to support our important local causes through grants and donations.
This year, we have given £1,500 to the community hall management committee for the building of a community garden. I’m looking forward to sitting on the new bench during the summer. A £250 donation towards the hugely successful VE Day celebrations held here at the hall. £700 was donated to the church in support of its upkeep of the church grounds and the venerable yew tree. The parish council also made a donation of £100 to our local Citizens’ Advice Bureau after their compelling request for support.
We are proud that we are able to support local causes that have a direct impact on the residents of Whittington.
We made significant steps forward in improvements to the allotments. Thanks to Richard Boase, who worked with contractors to resolve the drainage issues that have been present for a number of years. The storms over the winter proved the ultimate test for the improvements. We are pleased to report that the improvements passed!
Whittington has experienced a few, but thankfully rare, incidents of crime in the last 12 months. A child was tragically stabbed in September, and we regularly receive reports of anti-social behaviour and, on occasions, drug dealing. Fly-tipping has become a challenge in the last 12 months. Katie has been working with a variety of agencies to tackle fly-tipping that is taking place in the village.
Our local community policing team joined our meeting in September. They reported that Whittington had low levels of crime. The hours that are worked by our community policing team have reduced. This is a concern, and we continue to work with them to tackle the issues our residents raise.
This year, we have taken a new approach to how we communicate and engage with our residents. Richard and Christine Boase have done a fantastic job in launching the Whittington Times. I know a lot of time and effort and many steps walking across the parish went into setting up this initiative.
Whittington Walk had its new noticeboard installed. A short wait of 5 years after the estate started to be built! Thanks to Persimmon, the house builders, for covering the costs.
A major step forward in how we engage was our residents’ survey. At the beginning of 2025, we met to talk about what our 1, 3, and 5 plans for the parish were, and the culmination of that piece of work was our residents’ survey. Approximately 10% of residents replied, with a good spread across age ranges and our demographics. There were responses from all the main areas of Whittington.
The results clearly showed that our residents would like the parish council to focus on speed limits and pedestrian safety when walking on our roads. There was support for activities that improve our local environment, such as tree planting, benches, flower beds and outdoor facilities. Residents told us that improved bus routes were also important to them. A significant number of comments were made about traffic safety, in particular the dual carriageway, the roundabout next to the Swan and crossing the A44. Some of the comments made in the responses fall outside of the remit of the parish council, and we will look to our district and county councillors to support us in making progress on those topics.
Our thanks to everyone who took the time to complete the survey. We will be using the results to guide our thinking and priorities over the coming months and years. We will make the results available on the parish council website shortly.
We were joined at our September meeting by the staff of Whittington Pre-school, which is closing at the end of this academic year. The team that joined us made a powerful speech about the impact the preschool has on our local community.
The parish council was invited to give our opinion and input on the options and plans for changes to the local authority organisation. Each option, whether it is one authority for Worcestershire or a North and South Worcestershire, brings opportunities for Whittington. We await details of the decision and will work to ensure that Whittington gets the best outcome from whichever decision is chosen.
I’ve left the biggest topic until last.
In recent months, the majority of the parish council’s time in and out of our meetings has been taken up with the huge volume of planning applications and associated documents linked to the South Worcestershire Development Plan and Wychavon District.
Our parish faces huge change and disruption over the next 20 years as thousands of homes and large warehouses are planned to be built. It is clear that these developments are going to take place, but the Parish Council will continue to work for the best outcomes for the residents of Whittington. We are hugely concerned about the impact on the residents of Pershore Road which will face major development and disruption on their doorstep.
The Parish Council has met with Wychavon District Council’s planning team and writes detailed responses to consultations and planning applications, making sure that the concerns and issues of our residents are raised and heard.
Our objections and concerns are not about stopping the developments; however, what is built needs to be appropriate, with the correct infrastructure in place, where residents with local knowledge have been listened to, and the impact on them is taken into consideration.
The Parish Council has recently joined the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, and we look forward to learning more from them about how to lessen the impact of these developments on our residents immediately affected by the changes and across the wider Whittington parish.
As we look forward to our next 12 months, as we start to think about priorities and goals, for me, it’s vitally important that we continue to engage with our parishioners, understand what is important to them and start building our plans for the future. Whittington faces a lot of change in the coming years and we want to make sure that we have firm foundations in place to make the most of the opportunities that come to us.
We currently have vacancies on the parish council, if you are keen to make Whittington an even better place to live, we would love to hear from you.
My thanks again to my fellow councillors for all they do and I’m looking forward to the great things we will do in the next 12 months.
Adam Hooper
Chairman, Whittington Parish Council
6. To receive a report from the District Councillors
Well, it has been a rather eventful year! Starting with the County Council elections last May, which resulted in a lot of brand-new Councillors, who not only had to settle in and acclimatize themselves, but who also learnt, with the District Council, Parish Councils and residents, that the Government wished us to form a Unitary Council. This has caused much debate, surveys and likely results from different options. At the time of writing the Government has not told us which of the two options Worcestershire has put forward, either a North and South Worcestershire or just Worcestershire, will be accepted, but whatever the outcome Wychavon District Council will not exist. However, we hope that the name will live on in the New Town which is going to be in the middle of us.
The proposed new town has given your Parish Councillors – and us, an enormous amount of work – with reading material about planning applications – often the size of novels, to be read, analysed and commented on, often with a deadline of only a couple of weeks. The first application for warehousing and industrial use on land between the M5 junction with the B4084 is already at the Planning Dept at Wychavon and awaiting a decision. This is causing enormous stress for the residents on the B4084 who are bearing the brunt of the disruption and uncertainty of it all.
Wychavon District Council has always insisted that the New Town development should be infrastructure led and with the developers now bringing forward the plans for the town centre and southern neighbourhoods, we are all doing our level best to insist on this.
I have to commend the Parish Council and David Hunter-Miller, your Clerk, for the continuous work and effort they have been putting into the analysis and commenting on this mammoth task.
The Parish Council have also been active in seeing the possibilities of the Unitary Council as the Parish councils will have an important part to play in helping this to be established. You have a strong, solid, committed, group of councillors, with Adam Hooper as Chair and it is a pleasure to work with you.
I want to thank you all for your help to me this year, for your enthusiasm, ideas and energy. Thank you.
Liz Turier
Wychavon District Councillor
Major change is on the way for many reasons, but let’s start with the Local Government Review
(LGR). If we end up as a single Worcestershire Unitary Authority, then all six districts will work together, but we may be split into North and South Worcestershire. In this case Wychavon would join with Malvern Hills and Worcester City to form South Worcestershire, while the councils of Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest would join to form North Worcestershire. The final decision is expected to be announced before the middle of July.
Update on South Worcester Development Plan Review
In the meantime, what has been agreed is the SWDPR, which was officially adopted by Malvern Hills District, Worcester City and Wychavon District councils at the end of March. This is a long-term plan for growth that will deliver thousands of new homes, key infrastructure such as schools and healthcare facilities, as well as opportunities for job creation.
Under the Plan, more than 25,000 new homes need to be delivered by 2041 with 6,175 already built. The plan shows that councils have enough land for housing over the next five years, with policies to approve applications that deliver both housing and economic growth while leaving planners in a stronger position to turn down applications that do not deliver this.
Having the SWDPR in place is also vital to delivering Wychavon Town and major housing sites at Rushwick and Mitton, providing certainty to residents and confidence to businesses looking to invest in the area. 300 hectares of employment land is also allocated within the Plan, which will support businesses to grow and create jobs. Other key policies include those which will enhance the environment and help tackle climate change.
Planning Committee updates
For those wishing to speak at Planning Committee meetings, since 1st April 2026, Wychavon has introduced an updated online form to support registrations to speak. Further details, and the link to the online form, are available on the Council’s website.
Community Stars
To end on a lighter note, the Community Stars scheme was launched in May 2025 to recognise and celebrate those who live or work in our communities and use their own time to make a significant and lasting positive difference to the people, places, and environment of Wychavon. Help us celebrate the amazing people in our community. Spread the word and nominate your favourite Wychavon Star today. For more information, contact tracy.perkins@wychavon.gov.uk
As always, available if I can help in anyway.
Rob Adams
Wychavon District Councillor
7. To receive a report from the County Councillor
Whittington Parish Council continues to play an active and constructive role at the heart of their community, working in partnership with myself, local organisations, charities and residents to champion local priorities and support positive outcomes for the parish. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Whittington Parish Council and their Clerk for their ongoing cooperation, support and dedication to the community. Over the past year, this collaborative approach has helped ensure that local issues are clearly articulated and that Whittington’s interests are well represented as decisions are taken that will influence the parish in the future. This report provides a short summary of key developments and activity over the past year.
Local Government Reorganisation
Local Government Reorganisation continues to be a significant issue for all councils across Worcestershire. Proposals have now been submitted to central government following extensive consultation. We are currently awaiting a formal decision on the outcome, which is likely to be either one or two unitary authorities, which will incorporate the current District Councils.
South Worcestershire Development Plan Review
The development proposals associated with Worcestershire Parkway are continuing to progress. The South Worcestershire Development Plan Review (SWDPR) has recently been approved, while this decision brings more clarity around future planning, there are ongoing concerns about the scale and impact of development in our area and the need for it to be infrastructure led. These concerns are particularly relevant for Whittington residents, especially those living along and using the B4084, where proposals for industrial and warehouse development could have significant negative impact.
There is still a significant amount of work to be done, with many important details yet to be agreed. As proposals are developed further, close scrutiny will be required to ensure that commitments are delivered in practice. There will also be extensive consultation as plans move forward, and it is vital that residents are fully engaged and that their views are clearly heard and properly considered.
Although the SWDPR includes provision for supporting infrastructure, issues around traffic impacts, accessibility and connectivity remain of particular concern locally. As development moves forward, I will continue to review proposals, especially in relation to construction impacts and longer term traffic management. Together, with your local councillors, we will continue to represent your communities and liaise with developers on your behalf.
I regularly attend Parish Council meetings and village events, and I remain active on local social media to help keep residents informed and engaged on local issues. Maintaining a visible and accessible presence within the community is important to me, as it allows me to listen directly to residents’ concerns and understand local priorities first hand. I aim to be approachable and responsive, and I am always happy to be contacted for help, advice or support on any local matter, including issues that may be sensitive or require further discussion.
Linda Robinson
Worcestershire County Councillor
8. To receive a report from Whittington Community Hall
The Hall is a registered charity and is run by the Community Hall Management Committee, our core purpose is to manage ‘the Box’, i.e.
1. To maintain the Hall building, contents and grounds in good order as a quality venue for hire and continue a legacy to be proud of. To keep the finances in good order. To maintain a pipeline of clients and bookings to pay for the on-going up-keep. However we (the Committee) set ourselves an additional purpose:-
2. To maintain the Hall as a venue for Whittington Parish community events and get-togethers. And for the Hall to help foster and develop good local community relations and aid health and well-being.
I am pleased to report that we continue to achieve our purpose and aim for the Charity, through detailed monthly meetings and dedicated, professional teamwork ongoing behind the scenes. Thanks to everyone involved for their drive, good humour and the huge number of volunteer and contracted hours that are needed to keep the Hall running smoothly and well managed. The Hall’s finances are in a healthy state, and the building and grounds are in good order. It is often commented on by visitors what a beautiful, modern, clean building this is. We are certainly all proud of it.
The Hall has people of all age groups using it, including toddlers at Tiddler Town; very young dancers; teenagers and young people at the Monday Night Club; weekend party goers from newborns to 100; weekday business people and adults seeking to keep fit. The variety of weekly fitness classes have accessible pricing and are used by varying age groups, including older members of the Community, supporting both physical and mental wellbeing, helping to combat loneliness. Whilst the Hall attracts a lot of new clients, we also have returning hirers, some now book annually for birthdays and special occasions, and we have gained lots of regular users for weekly, monthly, quarterly or adhoc classes, workshops, meetings and events.
The Committee have put on some super community events this past year, that have been well attended. Last May’s VE Day celebration was a particular highlight; the Fish and Chip Quiz night was great fun; the Winter Warmer was ever popular and enhanced by a visit from Santa himself. Over the past year we have tried to widen the choice of events for the Community to come to and have the opportunity to socialise. In March just gone, we were pleased to host, support and be involved at the very successful Big Breakfast, organised and run by the local Elizabeth Stephens and Fanny Clifton Charity.
To widen our event offering we worked with the national arts organisation Live and Local. We organised three new different events, two with a mix of drama, music and storytelling and the third, a solo singer guitar concert. All were great for socialising before and after and well received by those that attended. The concert in particular attracted a sell-out audience, from which we are encouraged to explore more concerts and musical events in the future and we have started to look into the possibility of buying some staging. All of these events have taken research, planning, organising and hundreds of volunteer hours. Many thanks to a core group of regulars for their help and attendance and for everyone who came along.
Watch out for news of forthcoming events on our Hall notice boards, Facebook page, website What’s-On page, Parish notice boards and in the Whittington Times. Our next event is the Quiz Night (with fish and chips) on Saturday 9 May.
In early September we are planning to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the opening of the Hall. We will let you know details in good time and hope to see you all there! And, we have just secured the date for a new event – a Race Night, so put Saturday 17 October in your diary too.
We are always pleased to welcome new faces at our events. So, we ask for your help encouraging your neighbours and other members of our Parish to come and join in and be part of the Community.
The Committee continue to review best methods of working and contracts. With the economic climate some expenses have gone up, but we were pleased to get a reduction in costs for insurance by having a re-evaluation of the Hall. We also negotiated and lowered costs for bathroom consumables, changed our fire extinguisher contract and are reviewing our online storage that centralises our documents. This year we are also writing a 1 – 5 year strategy for the Hall, looking at succession planning for the Committee and exploring the use of an accounting package.
We have had a number of projects that various volunteer committee members have been exploring and leading on. For some time, we have been looking at ways to give our caretaker more time off. But we have had difficulty finding someone to share the contracted hours. So earlier this year we began to explore an alternative way to manage the opening and locking of the Hall. We researched whether there was a door entry system that could be integrated with our existing Hallmaster online booking system. But the technology isn’t fully functioning to the standard needed here, so we decided not to go with this option, but we now do have a backup to our usual caretaker opening service, in the form of a new robust professional standard key safe. However, in September did we find a second self-employed caretaker and happily he took up the contract.
Another of this years projects was to look into replacing the old black plastic chairs, with something more modern, attractive, comfortable and lighter ones for hall users and the caretakers to move about. After research into price, quality, size, storage, cleanability, accessibility, safety and of course colour! we were really pleased to order and then delivery in January of a whole new set of chairs for general use in the main hall. The feedback has been very positive. The trollies are a helpful new addition as are the chairs with arms. Also, the ability to link the chairs for safety when there are large numbers in the Hall, brings us in line with standards required.
Part of our third project, I am delighted to tell you, was completed at Easter. We were grateful to receive £1,500 Section 106 Community Garden funding, agreed by the Parish Council. As part of this we have planted fragment flowering plants and bushes and purchased and secured a sturdy hard wood bench in an area of the garden that has south facing country views, but was rather neglected, boring and overlooked by the pumping station. Several volunteers hard work has resulted in a lovely, enhanced area of the garden which already has had compliments and was immediately used and enjoyed by toddlers and their parents as soon as the bench was installed. A history trail in the garden will be the next part of the same project to be progressed.
We have another large project that we are currently working on, but which will come into our next financial year (our new financial year starts in July). We are looking to expand the carparking area at the front of the Hall and use some of the grassed area to make more spaces. We currently have around 32 and often need more. We are looking for work to start at the beginning of August this year. The work and traffic will be managed and hopefully will only take a couple of weeks.
Thanks again for everyone’s support. This has been my third year as Chairperson, so at the November AGM, I will be passing over the role to a new Chair. All our financial information about the Hall is given at the AGM, and everyone is welcome to come to the meeting which is on the first Wednesday in November.
Susan MacLeod
Chair, Whittington Community Hall Management Committee
9. To receive a report from Whittington C of E Primary School
Thank you for inviting me to speak this evening and for giving me the opportunity to share an update from Whittington Church of England Primary School.
I am now in my second year of headship, and over the past 18 months it has been a real pleasure to see the school continue to grow and flourish. We have worked hard to strengthen our curriculum, support children to thrive in their learning, and build new and meaningful links with our wider community.
We currently have 203 pupils on roll, with strong numbers across all year groups, which is a real reflection of the confidence families have in our school.
Last year, Ofsted recognised the school’s nurturing ethos, high standards, and inclusive approach. This was a wonderful moment for our staff, pupils, governors, and families, and something we are all incredibly proud of. It also provided a strong foundation that we have continued to build on this year.
Our writing curriculum and maths curriculum have developed further, enabling all children to feel a sense of achievement and make progress. At Whittington, we are passionate about helping every child find the area in which they can flourish.
Alongside this, we have continued to improve our school environment. This year, we have invested in wonderful new toilets for our children, new carpets, and more efficient lighting to make our learning spaces even more welcoming and comfortable.
We are also very excited to be developing our outdoor play provision. We have recently enrolled in the OPAL Play Project, which is focused on improving play opportunities for children. Around 20% of a child’s time in school is spent outside at lunchtime, so we want to make that time as rich and valuable as possible — giving children more opportunities to be imaginative, creative, active, and social.
One of the real highlights of school life continues to be our Music Fridays. If you are ever walking around the village at lunchtime on a Friday, you may well hear the wonderful sound of children singing and laughing together. It is something that brings great joy to the school.
A key priority for us continues to be inclusion. We are committed to ensuring that every child feels valued, supported, and able to succeed. As we continue to see increasing levels of SEND need, we are investing in additional support, staffing, and resources so that we can meet a wide range of pupil needs effectively.
Our links with the church remain a very special part of school life. We work closely with Whittington Church, and every class has the opportunity to visit for church workshops during the year. We also come together for important services such as Harvest and Easter. A particularly special moment this year was seeing our Reception children perform the Nativity in church. It was a truly magical occasion and a lovely example of the close relationship between school, church, and families.
We are also fortunate to have strong links with our wider church community, including St Peter’s. We are lucky to welcome a range of visitors who help lead collective worship and enrich the children’s spiritual development.
We are passionate about living out our school vision: to love, to learn, to flourish together.
I would also like to thank Whittington Charity for their continued kindness and generosity. Their support meant that all of our children were able to attend the live Nativity at Longlands Farm, which was a wonderful experience. They have also recently supported some of our more vulnerable families through donations of Easter eggs. We are incredibly grateful for all they do.
It has also been fantastic to continue working closely with the Parish Council and to come together as a community. We are especially looking forward to the upcoming summer fair, where some of our pupils will be performing songs.
Our PTA continues to be an incredible team of volunteers who give so much of their time and energy. They have raised a significant amount of money for the school this year through events such as the silent disco, Christmas fair, Easter hat parade, and Mother’s Day room. Thanks to their support, we have been able to purchase new iPads, musical instruments, and books for our library, as well as helping to subsidise trips so that all children can benefit from wider opportunities.
This year, we have also been working hard to strengthen our partnership with parents and families. We are offering more opportunities for parents to come into school and be part of their children’s learning. Last term, for example, we held maths workshops where families joined children in lessons, which was a great success.
Next week, we are also hosting a community celebration day, bringing together our school and church communities.
Looking ahead, we are excited about several upcoming events, including our Big Breakfast, Colour Run, and in May, our Big Picnic in support of Christian Aid Week. In June, we will be holding Sports Day at Whittington for our Key Stage 1 pupils, giving our youngest children the chance to celebrate teamwork and physical activity in front of their families. Our Key Stage 2 pupils will also have the exciting opportunity to experience athletics at Nunnery Wood.
I would like to end by saying a sincere thank you to all staff and governors for their continued dedication, commitment, and support. Their hard work underpins everything we do at Whittington and ensures that our children are able to thrive every day.
Thank you once again for your continued support. Whittington C.E. Primary School is proud to be part of such a strong and caring community. We value the partnerships we have built and look forward to continuing to work together in the year ahead.
Kelly Leeming
Headteacher, Whittington C.E. Primary School
10. To receive a report from Whittington Church St Philip & St James
Once again we have had a busy year of services including a monthly service at Crookberrow View. Archdeacon Mark Took our Christmas Day service. We held a number of much needed fund-raising events including a second “Whittington Wit and Wisdom” devised and hosted by Dr. David Tibbutt. Janet Peason gave a fascinating talk on “The Women of Worcester Cathedral” and Joanne Jeffris AND Mike Elden played “Quiet Music for a Summer Afternoon” on Cello and Piano in August.
The Elizabethan Room enables us to serve coffee after services and to hold the “Yew Brew” coffee mornings on 1st and 3rd Saturdays from March to December. It is available for hire for meetings of up to 15 people.
We continue to have a close involvement with the school regular assemblies are held in school and in church by the vicar Rev. Andy Stand and the Team Children and Family Worker Debra Hill. Each year group visits church for activities during the year and every Year 6 leaver receives a bible and a copy of “it’s your move”, a leaflet with advice on a smooth transition to Secondary school.
Forest Church is held in the churchyard on the 1st Sunday afternoon of each month.
The Churchyard-which is within the conservation area of the village- is beautifully maintained by a dedicated team of volunteers and we are very grateful to them and those who helped at the open days in the summer.
We have actively contributed to the Whittington Times and to events at the Community Hall.
Jayne Rayer
Churchwarden, Whittington Church
11. To receive a report from the Brethren Church
The Brethren Church has made site improvements this year, including new gates and fencing. The Brethren Church continues to provide regular meals for those in need, including the homeless, and the wider Brethren community remains active in supporting victims of war abroad.
The Church extends its thanks to the Parish Council and the Clerk for their support over many years.
David Ball
Brethren Church
12. To receive a report from the Elizabeth Stephens & Fanny Clifton Charity
Background of the charities
The Elizabeth Stephens Charity was established in 1668 and Fanny Clifton Charity in 1888. Both charities were funded by legacies left in these ladies’ wills with the funds and interest used to purchase coal and groceries and distributed to needy parishioners annually on St. Thomas’s day. Both charities were merged into one on the 19th February 2024 with a new combined name of ‘Elizabeth Stephens & Fanny Clifton Charity’ (Charity Commission registration no. 243748). Origin of each charity is described below.
Elizabeth Stephens Charity (established 1668)
Elizabeth Stephens of Wood Hall Norton died in 1668 and was buried in Norton. In her will Elizabeth Stephens left £100 (£50 each) to the poor of Norton and Whittington and ordained it should be invested in land and that revenue should be distributed twice a year to the poor of the parish.
Her executor and son Thomas Stephens put Whittington’s £50 into building three cottages on a third of an acre in Swinesherd. For two centuries the ‘Parish Cottages’ revenue was distributed once a year on St Thomas’ Day in the name of the Elizabeth Charity.
In 1880 due to growing maintenance costs the cottages had to be sold and the interest on the proceeds continued to be used to support the poor of the parish.
Fanny Clifton Charity (established 1888)
The Cliftons were Worcester solicitors and Clerks to the Dean of Worcester. The line ended when John Hill Clifton died and was buried in Whittington in 1870. Miss Fanny Clifton, his sister lived a further 17 years longer and was Whittington village school’s main supporter and benefactress, with all the school children attending her funeral in 1888.
In addition to the support she provided to the school Miss Clifton had the habit of giving away sacks of coal every Christmas to the poor of the parish. In her will Miss Clifton left £1,000 ‘with a view to continuing to the poor inhabitants of the Chapelry of Whittington the annual distribution of coal’. Interest on the investment was used for these purposes distributed on St Thomas Day under the newly formed Fanny Clifton Charity.
St Thomas the Apostle feast was historically celebrated on the 21st December (usually the shortest day and longest night) and was the ‘day of charity’ when poor women went ’Thomasing’ or begging. Wheat was cooked and distributed to the poor in memory of St Thomas who distributed the money he had to the poor. It was believed to be the day St Thomas died. More recent research has found the correct date of death was the 3rd July in Chennai, Syria and as such St Thomas is now celebrated on the 3rd July.
Governance
The trustees are:
• Chair – Katie Lambeth-Mansell
• Secretary – Helena Bennett
• Trustee – Susan MacLeod
• Committee Treasurer – Anita Hogson
In recognition of the ethos of both charities to give to the needy and the historic support given to the Whittington village school the Charity will work with Whittington Primary School to distribute donations of money, food, or other material goods to support those in need.
The Charity plans to give Alms three times a year – in July (near to St Thomas Day), December (near to the original St Thomas Day) and at Easter (as per Elizabeth Stephens Will).
Any funds raised will be donated to Whittington Parish residents only.
Finances
Present Accounts as of April 2026.
Opening balance (April 2024): £1,373.71
Income total: £1,357.01 (excluding non-cash donations) (increased ~70%)
Outgoings total: £1,060.24
Closing Balance (April 2025): £1670.48
Highlights 2025/26
Fundraising and Events
Community engagement has seen a significant boost this year through a diversified events calendar. The Charity has focused on “awareness-raising” events alongside traditional fundraising to ensure long-term sustainability.
Fundraising events included:
• Whittington Charity Winter Warmer: Featuring a dedicated Charity table with a “Santa Tombola,” “Hook a Duck,” and homemade goods including jams and a Christmas cake (weight-guessing competition) – raised ~£270
• Whittington Community Events Group Santa Sleigh: Secured funding contributions through this annual local tradition – raised ~£750
• Whittington Big Breakfast supported by the Community Hall and volunteers. We sold around 40 tickets and cooked up a full English breakfast in the kitchen for those who attended, including our volunteers who helped cook and serve on the day – raised ~£700.
• We had lots of positive feedback from those who attended the breakfast, including how lovely the hall had been decorated, welcome people were made to feel, how delicious and beautifully presented the food was, to name but a few compliments. One diner said “You and the WBB (Whittington Big Breakfast) Team for the local Charities created an extraordinary event which brought villagers together in the most pleasing of styles by the hard work on the day of so many event volunteers…it was a powerful image of villagers goodwill and harmony enjoying a feast and friendship. Well played.”
Donations
Whittington C of E Primary School
Funded a Year 1 Nativity trip to Longlands Farm (December 2025):
• These external opportunities not only enhance their learning but also help to support the children’s wellbeing and social skills, such as confidence building, communication, understanding and appreciation of the environment and life outside of the school and home.
• These trips can expose some children to new places and experiences that they would not necessarily get to enjoy with their families, so they really do offer a window to a world they would not otherwise see and experience.
Head Teacher Kelly Leeming described the trip as a “truly memorable experience,” noting that the children were particularly delighted to see a real baby playing the part of Jesus and real animals bringing the nativity to life.
Shoebox appeal (Christmas 2025)
• Provided Christmas shoeboxes/presents for 7 local children
Head Teacher Kelly Leeming said “I would also like to thank the charity for its generosity and kindness in gifting Christmas shoebox presents to some of our families. Our families were
truly overwhelmed by this kindness and asked that their heartfelt thanks and appreciation be passed on, as the gifts helped to make Christmas extra special. I would personally like to thank everyone involved in the charity for the support you continue to offer Whittington CE Primary School. It is very much appreciated and makes a real and meaningful difference to our school community.”
Easter eggs (April 2025)
• Helping underprivileged children to fully engage equally with peers with Easter eggs provided by the charity.
Community engagement
Honouring Our Roots: Remembering Miss Fanny Clifton
In January 2026, the Charity marked the 138th anniversary of the passing of one of our founding benefactresses, Fanny Clifton (1815–1888). This follows the significant discovery of her “hidden” grave in the Whittington churchyard last September, which allowed Trustees to finally confirm the exact date of her death.
A Lasting Legacy Research into Fanny’s life has revealed her deep devotion to the Parish. One of 13 siblings, she was a prominent figure in local history:
• Chief Benefactress: She was the primary supporter of Whittington School during her lifetime; so beloved was she that the entire student body attended her funeral.
• The Gift of Warmth: Historically, she provided sacks of coal to the poor every Christmas. Her Will left a generous £1,000 to the “poor inhabitants of the Chapelry of Whittington,” a legacy that funded fuel distribution for centuries.
Commemorative Service To honour this heritage, a special service was held at St Philip and St James Church. The Revd Andy Stand blessed a handmade wreath, which was laid upon her grave, while prayers and a reading of her history were shared with the congregation.
This act of remembrance serves as a bridge between the Charity’s historical origins and our modern-day mission to support the families and children of Whittington.
Thank yous
The Charity Trustees are grateful to all the following local business and organisations for their continued support, as well as to the volunteers whose personal donations and volunteer time made these events and donations possible this year.
• Croome Cuisine
• Droitwich Spar
• High Score Arcades Worcester
• Lush
• Mulligans Worcester
• Solihull Round Table
• St Peters Garden Centre
• Tesco (St Peters & Warndon Villages)
• Waitrose (Worcester)
• Whittington Church
• Whittington Community Events Group
• Whittington Community Hall
• Whittington Parish Council
Digital Presence
Website: https://www.elizabethstephensandfannyclifton.co.uk
We’ve continued to expand our website, with interesting blogs and there is also a new feature to donate va JustGiving on one-time or regular basis
Facebook we now have 30 followers! So please join and follow our page
• Official Website: www.elizabethstephensandfannyclifton.co.uk is now fully operational, serving as a hub for history, news, and donation links.
• Social Media: The Facebook presence has been integrated with the website to provide real-time updates on community events. https://www.facebook.com/people/Elizabeth-Stephens-and-Fanny-Clifton-Whittington-Charity/61565525326345/ – We now have 30 followers!
• Direct Giving: The Charity successfully launched ‘Just Giving’ and ‘Gift Aid’ capabilities, allowing for seamless digital donations and tax-efficient giving for the first time.
Ambitions for FY25/26
Recap of last year’s ambitions:
• Continue to raise awareness of the Charity through better communication & engagement within the community
• Establish regular funding income streams through events and donations from local organisations etc.
• Work with local organisations to establish routes to identify and provide support and assistance to Whittington Parish residents
New ambitions
Our 3 top ambitions for next financial year are to:
• After the success of the Big Breakfast, we had requests to hold an afternoon tea, so we have decided to take up this suggestion in aid of the Elizabeth Stephens and Fanny Clifton Charity. Afternoon Tea Save the date of Saturday 13 June 2026, at Whittington Community Hall. Watch out for more details on Facebook, on the Charity’s website, the Hall notice boards and next month’s Whittington Times.
• Expand how we engage and provide assistance to the wider Whittington Parish community, for those who need support during this cost of living crisis.
• Continue to raise awareness of the Charity through better communication & engagement within the community
• On the look-out for a new Chair – so if you’re interested, please get in touch!
Getting involved
If you would like to volunteer for the Charity and get involved with fundraising get in touch. If you would like to donate to the Charity visit our website and Just giving page.
Katie Lambeth-Mansell
Elizabeth Stephens & Fanny Clifton Charity
13. To receive a report from the Whittington Events Group
Since forming in 2023, Whittington Community Events Group continues to go from strength to strength and 2025 was no exception to this.
The 2025 Whittington Summer Fayre took place on Saturday 12th July. My goodness, it was a warm day! We hit 32 degrees that day. When the ice cream van is struggling to keep running, that’s when we know that we really have problems!
Despite sweltering temperatures and the Worcester Carnival taking place on the same day as our event—it had moved from the previous weekend the year before—we still managed to put on a great day. The heat and the carnival majorly impacted visitor numbers, along with us cancelling the dog show on safety concerns. We just about broke even on that day, which is to be celebrated despite the lack of attendees.
Our thanks again to Nick and Anita for letting us use the field. A special thanks to Nick for having the genius idea of putting a large container in their industrial fridge to keep water cool. I just about resisted the temptation to dunk my head in it.
Feedback from stall holders was positive. We appreciate their honest feedback and always work to take it into consideration when planning the following year’s event.
I am delighted to report that Whittington Community Events Group successfully bid for a grant from the National Lottery Communities Fund. This is a fund dedicated to supporting initiatives and activities that impact people in their local communities. We were successful in bidding for just over £19,000. This had allowed us to buy large industrial gazebos, improved games and better equipment. This will reduce our ongoing costs. We have also bought a newer and larger trailer for Santa’s sleigh.
Plans are well underway for the 2026 Whittington Summer Fayre on 11th July. We are really excited about plans for this year. We are pleased to say that we have developed a great reputation and have over 70% of stallholders returning. Our reputation speaks for itself, we currently have a waiting list of people asking for stalls.
For 2026, we have moved back to a community focus. We are delighted to be able to welcome local choirs, Whittington Primary School and the Star project theatre school to perform. And, if you like dinosaurs, Whittington Summer Fayre is the place to be. I am personally very excited that we will be welcoming a 9 foot tall walking T Rex to visit us.
Great food, great entertainment and great stallholders are on the cards for 2026. We are proud to be one of the few 100% free to attend community events in the area and we look forward to welcoming lots of people to visit beautiful Whittington in the summer. We can always use a few extra pairs of hands, if you can spare a few hours to help set things up on the 11th July we would love to hear from you.
My personal highlight of the year is our Santa sleigh. It’s now become a firm tradition in all the locations we visit and the excitement and reaction from the children and their adults is truly magical. In 2025 we visited 13 locations and raised just over £2,400. A huge thanks to each of our 4 Santas and the army of Elf volunteers to make this all possible. We were joined by members of the 20th Scout Group and Girl Guides.
For 2025, we asked our teams of elves in each location to pick charities and good causes that were important to them. We want people donating to see the impact of the money they donate in their local areas. We will soon be making donations from the 2025 Santa sleigh to the Elizabeth Stephens and Fanny Clifton charity, St Richards Hospice, 20th Scout Group, Macmillan Cancer care and Dementia UK.
In 2026, we will say goodbye to our sleigh. It’s served us well, but it’s time to move to a bigger and better sleigh! We are delighted to be working with Worcester Men In Sheds, who are kindly building a new sleigh to fit our new trailer. We look forward to the grand unveiling later in the year.
If you fancy donning an elf hat and spreading some Christmas cheer, Santa is always on the look out for more elves!
We look forward to seeing you all on 12th July!
Adam Hooper
Community Events Group
14. To invite the public to raise any matters of interest
No questions were received.
The meeting closed at 8:45PM. Following the meeting refreshments were provided.