My name is Judy Saxby and I am the Trustee representing Marchwood on the Dibden Allotments Charity. For those of you who are unaware of the origin of this Charity, and surprisingly there are still people who do not know of its existence or function, I will give a short rundown on how the charity came to be.

In 1862 the Dibden Allotments were founded for the poor and needy of that parish. In 1995 the Dibden Allotments Charitable Trust was relaunched after a local superstore purchased the allotment land from Hythe and Dibden Parish Council.

The monies resulting from that sale were invested and the investment income is spread between the Waterside parishes of Hythe and Dibden, Fawley and Marchwood.

The Trustees (representatives from all three parishes) are able to make grants to local organisations and, most importantly, individuals in need within the Waterside community. Need varies within these parishes and we are fortunate that people within our village rarely have to resort to asking the charity for help.

However, there are pockets of deprivation along the Waterside and the charity (hereafter called DAC!) helps in all kinds of ways, mobility aids, white goods, carpets, clothing, furniture and food. In fact this year some £20,000 worth of emergency food vouchers have been handed out.

42 Marchwood residents have been helped this past year. Quite often they are moving into their first permanent home and have nothing in the way of cooking facilities or furniture. We work with Dorcas who provide a package of necessary household items (these are mostly secondhand).

The charity has provided a stairlift and a bath for elderly/disabled persons, as well as a laptop computer as an aid to study. Also clothing, beds and the inevitable food vouchers. By the way, all white goods provided remain the property of the DAC and are subject to a yearly check.

Our young people within the parish are ably supported by Derek Hawkins, one of the three detached youth workers part funded by DAC as ongoing support to the Handy Trust, whose stirling work within schools and youth clubs etc includes providing information and education on all relevant potential problems such as smoking, drink and drug abuse and underage/casual sexual activity.

The very successful gardening scheme enables elderly or infirm people to stay in their own homes by providing help to maintain their gardens, should it become to much or too dangerous to cope with themselves. We have 11 residents within Marchwood and Pooksgreen who benefit from this scheme. Every gardener employed by DAC is subject to a CRB check, of course.

The schools that serve our village, the Infant, Junior and Applemore College are supported with a hardship fund (as are all the schools along the Waterside and reapplied for on an annual basis). This enables children from more needy families to be able to have the correct school uniform and go on school trips along with their peers. This runs hand in hand with the Shoe Scheme which provides a voucher to the value of £25 towards proper school shoes.

A great many of our residents are helped indirectly by the financial support given to local groups and organisations, such as the playgroups, the village hall, the WRVS “ Meals on Wheels”, Cussens Day Centre and Relate counselling which has its own Marchwood sessions. We also support and are supported by Hythe CAB.

With regard to the charity as a whole, this year Dibden Allotments has helped 210 clients with the Gardening scheme, made grants to individuals totalling £157,000, given £7,000 for school trips and uniforms and also £11,000 to RETHINK which offers respite breaks for those suffering with mental ill health.

I feel privileged to be your representative on this charity and must reiterate that every application is dealt with in an ethical, compassionate and sympathetic way and each application is looked at on its own merit; no two are the same. Peoples circumstances are different and can also change by the time the application comes before the Trust.

Sometimes I feel that Dibden Allotments Charity is the Cinderella of local charities, with no big fanfare of publicity, just quietly getting on with the job, continuing vital support of people in the Waterside parishes. Nobody wants to find themselves in the position of having to ask for help, but DAC has provided that help for nearly twelve years now and long may it continue!