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A small pot of cash that has been forgotten for over 15 years has been rediscovered by the States which it plans to use to fund the purchase of essential hospital equipment.
The Country Hospital Charitable trust was created in 1958 as part of the islands poverty relief system to care for the impoverished sick, homeless people, and contained money generated from what is now known as the Castel Hospital.
Annual accounts were supposed to be filed every year, but the States say that knowledge of the trust and this requirement was lost following staff changes in 2009, at which point it was all but forgotten.
At that time it contained £21,000, but in the intervening time that has accrued to £31,000.
Employment & Social Security, of which the President is the trustee of the funds, wants the States to agree to wind up the trust and transfer the cash to Health to fund new equipment for the Croft – support services for children with additional needs - with the rest transferred to a hospital support charity.
The law governing the trust states it should be used for “inmates and patients for the time being accommodated in any hospital, home or other institution” in Guernsey or if this benefit is not required, the income might be used for “relief of poverty in the island” or any other “charitable object”.
“Rather than erode the remaining balance of the Fund through annual audit fees, the Committee instead proposes that the trust established by the Law be brought to an end, the Law be repealed, and the outstanding balance of the Fund be used to fund a worthy cause aligned with the provisions of the law,” ESS said.
Health had requested the cash for the two purposes ESS will ask the States to agree in September at the earliest.
Pictured: Deputy Tina Bury.
Writing to ESS, then-Health Vice President Deputy Tina Bury said around 35 families use the Croft weekly or monthly and said the premises are “outdated and not fit for purpose for the needs of children with disabilities.
“The Croft lacks key facilities, such as a therapy room, fit-for-purpose equipment and furniture, sensory toys, and moving and handling equipment, and service-users would benefit from investment in these areas.”
She added that a request was recently made for £26,000 to carry out this capital project, but the request was declined.
The rest of the cash could go to the Friend of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, a charitable body that seeks to provide comfort and series to patients and purchase items not ordinarily supplied by government.
“While some or all of the funding could be passed to the Friends of the PEH, in doing so it could also be suggested that it liaises with other registered charities whose purpose supports the PEH in charitable ways. For example, the Friends of Frossard Children’s Ward Charitable Trust is also a registered charity and supports the Frossard Ward to fund medical and other equipment for the benefit of children and parents on the Ward,” Deputy Bury added.
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