The Yarmouth Community Foundation Bid for the Yarmouth Primary School Site
The Yarmouth based Herapath Shenton Trust (HST) have partnered with Maritime Archaeology Trust (MAT) to create the Yarmouth Community Foundation (YCF), a charity, for the express purposes of holding the former Yarmouth Primary School for community and educational use in perpetuity.
This new foundation has put in a substantial bid to the Isle of Wight council for the school site. If successful we will consult and work with all members of the local and IOW community to develop our plans for the benefit of education, local needs, housing, jobs and community use in a way that is sustainable and environmentally friendly.
The Vision
The Maritime Archaeology Trust currently runs the long established and successful Isle of Wight Shipwreck Centre (SWC) at Arreton Barns. It will re-locate this to the Yarmouth school buildings as an anchor tenant of the Yarmouth Community Foundation to ensure sustainability by establishing a new leading centre of excellence for Maritime Archaeology in the UK.
The Yarmouth Community Foundation will work with partners to develop social housing (subject to planning), along with education, cultural, small enterprise and community group uses including the Scouts and Guides.
For any further information or enquiries please contact: ycf@maritimearchaeologytrust.org
YCF will be a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with a minimum of 4 trustees drawn from the core organisations and community representatives.
The HST was formed in 1966 through the generosity of Yarmouth residents Spencer and Yvonne Herapath. It currently supports CHOYD ( Community Hall of Yarmouth District), Yarmouth Scouts, SWAY ( South Wight Area Youth), Yarmouth Town Trust, UKSA ( UK Sailing Association) amongst the many charities it has grant funded over the years, The trustees believe the founders would have been most keen to see the Maritime Archaeology Trust as a prime beneficiary of its funds to establish a maritime centre. It is constituted of four trustees all from the Island with the Chairman being from the local area. https://herapathshenton.org.uk.
MAT was established as the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology in 1991 following the discovery of the Yarmouth Roads Historic Shipwreck. It aims to promote interest, research and the education of maritime archaeology and heritage and has grown to become an internationally recognised specialist charitable organisation. It has a charitable board of 9 active trustees and 18 patrons including the President and Vice Presidents of which 6 are IOW residents including the Lord Lieutenant Susie Sheldon. It has the active support of historian Dan Snow and Alan Titchmarsh. https://maritimearchaeologytrust.org
Aspirations
Education
Through the work of the MAT, education will continue to be a primary use of the Yarmouth School site.
Incorporate the Shipwreck Centre (SWC) and its renowned collections of Martin Woodward, telling the stories of shipwrecks, drowned lands and Yarmouth's history.
Host school visits and outreach to the IOW schools programme, talks and events.
Have educational displays and resources for schools on climate change, sea level rise and links to the IOW Biosphere Reserve.
Creation of an education, research, archive and fieldwork centre that will facilitate learning and activities through MAT's international network of UN linked organisations.
Provide opportunity for apprenticeships, work experience and volunteering.
Provide a facility for the Scout and Guides.
Housing
It is recognised that there is an acute shortage of social housing in the area and that part of this site will be allocated for a small social housing project . We will work with partners to develop a scheme for this, subject to planning.
Community partners and opportunity for tenants
The Yarmouth Community Foundation wishes to encourage education, cultural, small enterprise and community group uses. We will work with the Yarmouth Scouts and Guides to develop their plans and accommodate them into the site, subject to planning and funding.
We will work with any other tenants who will bring community benefit, economic sustainability, jobs and environmental and cultural gain to the site and welcome all ideas.
We will work with local town and IOW councils and other statuary bodies to ensure maximum benefit for the local community and long term sustainability of the site.
Environment
We will invest in green/carbon free energy generation and have environmentally friendly and sustainable policies throughout the site for all tenants and partners. We will be a showcase for green technologies and aim to be carbon-neutral.
We will create a maritime-climate inspired landscape with a community sensory garden, promoting well-being and social inclusion for all with activities and events.
Jobs/Economic Impact
It is anticipated that there will be at least 6 jobs at the MAT site and that new employment opportunities will emerge with other tenant partners. There will be economic benefit to the local area from visitors, tourism and other users to the town of Yarmouth.
Funding
The HST trustees have joined together with MAT to provide funding for the new Yarmouth Community Foundation that is bidding for the school site.
It is anticipated that an investment of £1.5 million will be made on the site with MAT as the main tenant. Future funds will be raised to realise the long term long for the site by the Yarmouth Community foundation.
The Maritime Archaeology Trust has a 30 year track record of success with funded projects and steady growth and has 16 employees, based on the Isle of Wight and Southampton.
MAT has funds promised to deliver their first phase of this project through its own fundraising and supporters.
If you would like to be notified when there is any news on the bid, or you would like to send us your thoughts, comments or suggestions on the proposed Yarmouth School Site development please use this link: Click Here
Please join us for an open meeting where the bid will be presented at 7pm on Tuesday 19th September 2023 at Community Hall of Yarmouth and District
St James' Street, Yarmouth, PO41 0NU. All welcome.