THE Northamptonshire Community Foundation has announced the Cecil Pettit Fund, supporting people with disabilities. Thanks to the work of Cecil Pettit, Ability Northants and Howes Percival Solicitors, just under £1m will be available countywide to support those in need.
Ability Northants was founded under the name Northampton & District Council for the Disabled in 1978. At a time where no disability legislation existed and equality was almost unheard of, they were dedicated to enriching the lives of people living with disabilities.
The Mayor of Northampton, Councillor Mark Aldridge, founded the organisation, becoming its first Chair, alongside Cecil Pettit as Vice Chair, Jean Crane as Secretary and Bob Munns as Treasurer. A range of representatives from the statutory and voluntary sectors joined them as Committee Members.
The organisation became a registered charity in 1980, changing its name to Northamptonshire Council for the Disabled, and again in the late 1990s to the Northamptonshire Council for Disabled People.
The organisation continuously championed disability rights, changing its name for a final time to Ability Northants in 2002, with all members of staff and trustees either being carers or people with disabilities themselves.
As well as being one of the founding members of Ability Northants, Cecil Pettit worked tirelessly for the equality for people with disabilities throughout his life. As a wheelchair user, he would go on to become Chair of the organisation at a time when it was extremely rare to see a person with disabilities in a position of power.
Following Mr. Pettit’s passing in August 2000, his Northamptonshire property was put into trust with Howes Percival Solicitors to ensure the continued benefit for people with disabilities. Now sold, the property was match funded with 50 per cent from the Constance Travis Endowment Match Challenge through Northamptonshire Community Foundation, creating a fund of just under £1m.
Speaking of the Cecil Pettit Fund, Victoria Miles, CEO of Northamptonshire Community Foundation, said: “We are so delighted that Mr. Pettit’s generous legacy for people with disabilities will live on here in our county. Those who knew him well spoke highly of his commitment and passion in raising awareness for equality for people with disabilities. This will now continue in perpetuity in the form of a substantial named fund that the Community Foundation is so honoured to deliver on his behalf.”
The Cecil Pettit Fund will be available from the start of the next financial year throughout the county to organisations that support disabled people.
Gerald Couldrake, senior partner of Howes Percival, and a trustee of the Cecil Pettit Will Trust said: “I am sure that Cecil would be both astounded and delighted that his legacy is a £1m fund to benefit disabled people in the county. We have worked very successfully with Victoria and her team over a number of years as we were convinced that they were absolutely the right people to take on the administration of finding the best projects to fund. When Victoria told me she could match fund Cecil’s money from the Constance Travis Trust we were thrilled. I should also mention Charles Church of Underwoods, who did a great job in acting for me on the sale of Cecil’s property, which enabled us to donate such a large amount to the Community Foundation. I look forward to reading about how Cecil’s money will be spent in supporting many worthwhile projects in the years to come”.
To learn more about Northamptonshire Community Foundation, visit www.ncf.uk.com