Harpur Trust
The present Bedford Charity (The Harpur Trust) has grown from a gift to Bedford Town in 1566, by Sir William Harpur and his wife Dame Alice, of a parcel of land in Bedford (on which Sir William had already had a school built) and a total of just over 13 acres of water meadow in Middlesex with a value of £14.
What is the Trust today?
A general charity with three areas of activity.
- The promotion of education
- The relief of persons who are sick, or in need, hardship or distress
- The provision of recreational facilities in the interests of social welfare
- A local charity operating in “Bedford and the neighbourhood thereof in the County of Bedfordshire”
- A grant giving charity
- An almshouse charity with 40 flats and houses
- A schools charity, with over 4,000 pupils, 900 staff and fees of £34.2million
- An endowed charity, with gross income from property and investments of £3.5million
The majority of the pupils from Pilgrims move on to one of the four Trust schools at the end of Year 2 or 3.
Bedford School
Bedford High School
Dame Alice Harpur School
Bedford Modern School
The Harpur Trust
