A highlight of the recent publication of the Barrow Cadbury Trust’s official history was the chance to catch up with old friends, and find out about the progress of organisations and projects that the Trust has supported over the decades.

It was particularly thrilling that staff of the Fermanagh Trust made the journey across the Irish Sea to Birmingham for our launch event at the Council House. Director Lauri McCusker and founding trustee Jim Ledwith were present – and a you can read a great account of the reunion on the Fermanagh Trust’s website.

In 1995 the Barrow Cadbury Trust, which had for decades supported projects in Northern Ireland, endowed the Enniskillen-based Fermanagh Trust to independently support community work across rural Fermanagh.

Jim Ledwith, convenor of the Fermanagh Trust board of trustees, said: “the Fermanagh Trust has grown from strength to strength, both financially and in making Fermanagh a much better place. We as trustees and staff in the Fermanagh Trust has set the benchmark for other counties to follow but unfortunately very few have had either the will or foresight to build an independent trust fund for community effort in the county”.

He continued, “In this day and age when there has grown a whole industry and army of salaried people involved in ensuring compliance in funding together with ever increasing complicated processes in making applications for voluntary groups i am sure local people are appreciative of the fact that the Fermanagh trust ethos and working relationships on the ground is truly exceptional in that we value people first before process”.

You can find out more about the work of the Fermanagh Trust today on their website.