Who we are
A registered charity whose aim is to provide support and funding for the educational development of the children of Ormskirk.
The current incarnation of a charitable trust established in 1612 by a group of leading local figures including William Stanley, the 6th Earl of Derby and Sir Cuthbert Halsall.
What we do
We provide funding for current and former pupils, and departments of Ormskirk School to assist in educational development.
Latest News
- The Accession Proclamation of King Charles III
Foundation Trustee and West Lancashire Mayor Councillor Mrs. Marilyn Westley, Foundation Trustee and West Lancashire Mayor Councillor Mrs. Marilyn Westley, read the Accession Proclamation of King Charles III in Coronation Park, Ormskirk on 11th September 2022.
Foundation Trustees joined residents, veterans, scouts, Councillors and Council Officers, as Mayor Westley read the formal proclamation of the new King’s accession to the Crown, in a ceremony echoed across the country.
and the rain held off.. mostly…
Whereas it has pleased almighty God to call to his mercy our late Sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth II of blessed and glorious memory, by whose decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George.
https://www.royal.uk/
We, therefore, the lords spiritual and temporal of this realm, and members of the House of Commons, together with other members of Her late Majesty’s Privy Council, and representatives of the realms and territories, aldermen, and citizens of London and others, do now hereby, with one voice and consent of tongue and heart, publish and proclaim that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful liege lord, Charles III, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and of his other realms and territories, King, head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith, to whom we do acknowledge all faith and obedience with humble affection, beseeching God, by whom kings and queens do reign, to bless His Majesty with long and happy years to reign over us - Facebook Statement
September 5th 2022
Due to the academisation of Ormskirk School, the last three years have been extremely difficult for the Trustees of the Foundation. Our Trust Deed, dated from April 2006, would only allow us to support a voluntary controlled school, i.e. a Local Authority school. Due to the fact that the Secretary of State for Education ordered that Ormskirk School convert to an academy, the Trustees had to apply to the Charity Commission to change the Deed. Inexplicably they refused to do this. That, together with the protracted negations regarding the conversion caused the process to become long, drawn out and very trying to say the least.
Finally, in March this year the Secretary of State for Education stepped in and changed the Trust Deed for us. The Trustees were delighted with the resulting new Deed, which now enables us to support not only the current students of Ormskirk School, but also past students, up to and including the age of 25 years in their course of study OR entry into their chosen profession. More information can be found on our new web site, where there will also be an application form to be sent, on completion to our clerk, Mrs Smith.The first meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 2nd and Trustees will discuss the bids, making a decision on that night. Successful applicants will be informed by the clerk as soon as possible by the clerk. Again, all details will be provided on the web site.
Finally, the property of the Trustees has been removed from Ormskirk School and now has a safe home at Knowsley Hall. Initially they were all in one room, but now they have been distributed within the Hall.
The grandfather clock, at the request of Lady Derby, is at the bottom of the grand staircase, as it has been much admired. Any visitors will see it as soon as they enter the main entrance.
The oak chest has been placed in the Jacobean Room.
The record book is in the office of the archivist under his personal care.The items can be returned to us at any time should the Trustees wish, but it should be remembered that Lord Derby is also a Trustee, so they are in very safe hands.
The war memorial lectern will remain in the care of the school, as it is in regular use. It will therefore be in the same room, the hall, as the memorial board that is situated above the main doors.
This is a new beginning for a Trust that is 410 years old on September 28th. Let us hope it continues to benefit the youth of Ormskirk for another four centuries. We now have a web site through which we can be contacted for information about making a bid for funding
Any further information and photos can be found on the web site:
www.osft.org.uk - Moving the Chattels
Knowsley Hall 
The Grandfather Clock – 1850 
The oak chest – 1612 
The chest at Knowsely 
The record book – 1612 
Lord Derby and his archivist, Stephen Lloyd - Changes to the Trust Deed
From 2006 until March 2022 the object of the charity was quite vague. It stated that the trustees could provide ‘items, services and facilities for the school’. They could only support a ‘voluntary school’. Clearly this does not include an Academy so the Trust Deed had to be changed. This was done by the Secretary of State for Education in March 2022.
The trustees are now operating under an amended Trust Deed. The object of the charity has widened and now allows trustees to consider bids for funding from a much wider field of applicants.
Trust Deed Modification Order – March 2022
From the office of the Secretary of State for Education
The object of the charity is the provision of:
- Items, services, facilities and grants for the school and
- Scholarships, maintenance allowances or other financial assistance to promote the education of the School’s current or future pupils or its (or predecessor school’s) past pupils under the age of 25, or their preparation for entry into a profession, trade or calling.
Provided that any items, services, facilities or grants for the School shall be of a kind not normally funded by the local authority or central government.
This means that the charity can now accept bids from ex pupils who attended Ormskirk School up to the age of 25 years old, something that trustees used to do prior to the formation of Ormskirk School in 2001.