Trust 2000 News Spring Summer 2008

Trust 2000 welcomes new Trustee Mrs Maxine Morrell

Trustees of Trust 2000, the charity set up by villagers in Shedfield,  Waltham Chase and Shirrell Heath to commemorate the Millennium by helping disadvantaged people in Britain and abroad are delighted to announce they have a new trustee.

Mrs Maxine Morrell agreed to become a Trustee at the  charity's meeting in January. Maxine is the wife of the late Rev Geoff Morrell,  whose vision inspired Trust 2000 and was chairman until his death in September 2007.

She says: "The children and I were very touched to be asked if a member of the family would like to become a Trustee, and are grateful to be given the opportunity to be involved in something that was so dear to Geoff's heart.   I am delighted to accept on behalf of us all and very much look forward to helping to take forward the objects and aims of the Trust, hopefully with the same level of enthusiasm, dedication and commitment as Geoff - he would expect no less!' 

Grant Recipients 2008

Following the survey of the Parish, it was clear that the poll favoured The Elizabeth Foundation and The New Earth Team.  The Trustees decided at the meeting in January that the full amounts of the grants requested should be paid and the details are shown below.

New Chairman for 2008 

From its inception until his death in September 2007, Geoff Morrell had been the Chairman of Trust 2000.  Each year in January the Trust elects or re-elects the Chairman.  For 2008 this will be Anne Taylor who is a founding Trustee and has been particularly active in fundraising for the Trust.  Anne commented: “It is a huge honour to serve as Chairman after the inspirational Geoff Morrell and I intend to maintain the forward momentum of the organisation while carrying out my fiduciary responsibilities”.  If you would like to contact Anne Taylor you can do so by emailing her at info@trust2000.org.uk

Future Fundraising Events

Our next major fundraising event is due to take place in the summer of 2009.  Details of this are being finalised and will be advertised via this page as soon as they are available.

Our Founder

Trust 2000 would not have existed without the late Geoff Morrell.  Although his death in 2007 is no longer fresh news an insight into his influence is relevant in understanding how the Trust got to where it is today.  The piece below reflects the impact he had on those people lucky enough to be inspired by him.

The Geoff Morrell Effect

What impact has Geoff Morrell had on you?  For each and every one of us the effect of his friendship must be slightly different because crucially he treated everyone as an individual. So many people cared about him because we knew he cared about us. Geoff addressed our problems and anxieties with genuine concern, reflection and appropriate advice.  Over recent years his prolific use of email has meant that he could literally always offer words of comfort and inspiration.  Sometimes one felt a bit silly loading Geoff with problems that in the telling seem to diminish in importance especially when compared to his own health.  However he relished the opportunity to be a sounding board and offer advice which admittedly was not always the advice one wanted to hear, for Geoff was not afraid of making you face hard truths.

Geoff was many things but as well as a caring compassionate friend and teacher, he was undoubtedly a leader. A leader who overcame all sorts of barriers to push forward the Study Centre and Trust 2000 of which I am a Trustee.

Geoff’s vision for the Trust was to create a monument to the Millennium that was not a statue, clock or obelisk but a conduit from our Parish to those in greater need in the UK and abroad.  The active way the Trust has been led, from the beginning, by Geoff means that it has been able to genuinely improve the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.  I am sure that I speak for all the other trustees when I say that I felt it was a great honour to serve with Geoff, and help to directly impact on others’ lives for the better. We will continue to take our roles extremely seriously and carry on with the work of the Trust adhering as well as we can to Geoff’s initial vision back in 1999.

When I look back on my life I think of a few people who have really made a difference to my development as a person; people who have inspired and shaped me; people whose example I know I must try and follow; and even if I only manage that a little bit I know I will be a better person.  For me Geoff was one of those half a dozen or so people.  To achieve something worthwhile which is seemingly very difficult, like founding a charity and persuading people to donate to it takes single-mindedness, drive, and determination to push aside the obstacles that are in the way.  Now we must use the attributes we admired in him to forge our own path.

If Geoff could do it so can we.

Anne Taylor

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