The John Higgs Memorial Fund

John Higgs, founder of The Arkleton Trust, died in 1986. He worked in FAO with David Moore before becoming Secretary of The Duchy of Cornwall until his death. Arkleton is the name of his Scottish home which, in the early days, was used for seminars.

The John Higgs Fund seeks to identify groups doing specific development, community or educational [not within schools] work in rural areas, which are either struggling to start, having trouble in maintaining valuable activities, wishing to develop in new or unfamiliar areas, or seeking to evaluate their work. In addition, the fund tries to assist these groups to find the right person to help and guide their efforts.

From 2008 this fund is concentrating its efforts on working in an advisory capacity to the Arkleton Trust on its work in identifying how rural communities adapt to climate change and is therefore not taking external applications for funding.

Past John Higgs Memorial Fund Awards

Date of Award

Recipient

Project

1987

YHA

Employ’ Errol John for 10 days to research ways in which the YHA could increase the participation of the ethnic minorities in outdoor activities and countryside recreation through youth hostelling

Dr Frank Rennie and Highlander

To establish the charitable objects of the Highlander educational trust

1988

None

1989/90

James Derounian

Finland - Northumberland Exchange

Mansfield Settlement

Land use consultant project in the East End of London

Arthur Cillette Museum UNESCO

Guiliano Cesarini - Rural World and Museum Iconography

Lesley Turner

Durham Rural Community Council - Women’s conference

Sybil Crouch

West Wales Arts - research into arts in rural areas

1991

Graham Stockham

Withdrawn others listed in newsletter

1992

Giuliano Cesarini

James Derounian

Drennan Watson

Skye Forum

Arthur Elliot Fund

Donation

Museum of English Rural Life, Reading

Donation

1993

Jim Ledwith

Assist his participation in a UK/Sweden rural community workers exchange

ORCC

Care in the Community project

1994

Cromarty Study Centre

Help to renovate two important buildings to create a centre for education and training opportunities in the highlands and islands

Jeanette Ralph

Study problems of rural planning in Shropshire

Kiki Schwartz

Assist her study of appropriate counselling services for farmers under stress

Upper Nithsdale Adult Centre for education

1995

Yorkshire Youth Television

Trying to establish a video arts project for young people

Oxfordshire Federation of Young Farmers

Graeme Robertson

Study travel

Habitat scotland

1996

Countryside Movement

A contribution

Gloucestershire Rural Community Council

Elm Farm Research Centre

Oxford Brookes School of Planning

Highlands & Islands Forum

1997

East Anglian University

Research project, Study on the Future Landscapes in the West Oxfordshire Region

Action with Communities in rural england

Article in the Parliamentary Review: Capturing the Political High Ground

ORCC

Volunteering in Rural Oxon Conference

1998

Oxfordshire Rural Education Initiative

To help to bridge the gap between the vast amount of information on agriculture which is available for educational purposes but which has failed to ensure that farming features within the curriculum for many school children

Citizens Advice Bureau

Mid-Devon CAB, Tiverton to enable the Bureau to train volunteers for their mobile CAB ‘Surgery’ which plans to visit local health and community centres.

ORCC

Oxfordshire Rural Volunteer Award

Rural Stress Information Network

Set up a data base

1999

Reading University

Re-housing of Rural History Centre

The American Agricultural Economics Association Foundation

Towards setting up a fund in the name of Philip M Raup.

Stephen Wright

Gloucestershire Rural Communities Council Japan Study Tour

2000

The Archbishops’ Rural Commission on Rural Areas

Contribution towards the funding of a Conference following the 10th anniversary of the publication of ‘Faith in the Countryside’.

2001

Jo Willett

Dissertation - carry out research into the agricultural outputs in Kenya

Norfolk Rural Life Museum

Have formed a partnership with The Village Museum in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to work together on various projects.

2002

Hatherleigh Project

Contribution

2003

Prof Baviskar

Attend IRN conference in Inverness

Lauren Rickards

Problematizing the Agricultural Field: Conceptions of Nature and Rurality in Agricultural Education – A Case Study Approach.

2004

Gordon Rural Action

Portable printer

Castle of Mey Trust

Facilitate printing of report for Arkleton Centre

Solway Heritage

Facilitate one landscape architect to attend a stonewall building conference in Greece

Critical Mass Theatre

Funded an advisor to travel to Uganda to do a feasibility study for future Ugandan/UK

2007

Yayasan Tadabaca

Video showing adaptation by communities after the Yogyakarta and Central Java earthquakes of 2006

Please view the video made on the video pages

Trust Non Specified Fund Awards

1999

The Arkleton Centre

Development of a new Journal of European Rural Policy Studies

October 1999

Conference on climate change

Contribution to costs National Conference on Climate Change and Economic Development in the South West (of England).

2001

Hatherleigh Area Project

Project to address the economic and social consequences of Foot & Mouth in West Devon

2004

Castle of Mey

Contribution to costs