No secrecy about charity’s conduct

AS the chairman and vice-chairman of the trustees of the Thomas Parsons Charity, we wish to take issue with some aspects of your report in the Ely Standard on August 24. In our opinion, you are wrong to pillory the Bishop, Dean, Archdeacon and the vicar o

AS the chairman and vice-chairman of the trustees of the Thomas Parsons Charity, we wish to take issue with some aspects of your report in the Ely Standard on August 24.

In our opinion, you are wrong to pillory the Bishop, Dean, Archdeacon and the vicar of Ely who are but four of 12 trustees. Thus, even if they did object to the sale, their vote might not have prevented the pit from being sold. Incidentally, there is only one pit owned by the charity.

The pit was purchased some 21 years ago solely as an investment for the charity. It has not proved to be the viable investment hoped for, from an income point of view so, like other such ill-performing investments, it is being sold with about three additional acres and charity law requires that it is sold to the highest bidder.

There has been no secrecy about the sale. It has been properly advertised by the charity's agents and negotiations are now in place to finalise that sale to the highest bidder.

You also ask the residents of East Cambridgeshire for their views.

The charity's area of benefit does not cover the district, only the city. The charity is not in place to further the interests of individual members clubs, but for specific charitable purposes for the residents of this city.

WALTER BEBBINGTON

RICHARD BAMFORD

Thomas Parsons Charity