Second Round of Grant Applications
June 16, 2023 • Jenny Ellis, Chair of Grants Committee
The Trustees of the Posbury St Francis Trust (PSFT) are pleased to announce that they will open a second round of grant applications in the autumn of 2023. This round will be confined to applications for contributions towards the cost of retreats. In accordance with our existing policy grants can be awarded for up to 50% of the cost of a retreat, up to a maximum of £200 per applicant. The application period will open Friday 1 September and close on Friday 29 September. We hope that decisions on applications will be made by the end of October.
Progress at the Haven
March 11, 2023 • The Venerable Dr Trevor Jones, Chair
Work has started on the extension and terrace at the rear. Meanwhile the mist rolls in along the Porthcurno coast!
Award to support the Gregory of Nyssa International Colloquium
February 21, 2023 • Professor Morwenna Ludlow
Forty-six delegates from over a dozen countries attended our Colloquium from September 6th-9th 2022 at Exeter University. The funds awarded by PSFT allowed us to provide 11 bursaries for graduate students at prestigious international universities in Germany, Switzerland, Poland, North American and the UK. Two of these students participated in the graduate student workshops, where they present an aspect of their PhD work, for comment by senior colleagues—this was a very successful part of the conference and the students were warmly praised for their work by the conference delegates. One more presented a paper in the sessions on the conference theme.
Most of the delegates presented research papers on the theme of Gregory of Nyssa’s De anima et resurrectione (On the soul and the resurrection), a classic in early Christian spirituality in which Gregory recreates a dialogue with his sister Macrina. He echoes Plato’s dialogue Phaedrus, but argues for the superiority of Christianity because of the doctrine of the resurrection (which Gregory more controversially argues is the means of salvation to absolutely all people). The delegates are currently revising their papers and we will run a peer review process to select the best for publication.
Besides the academic content we were able to visit Exeter Cathedral for a tour followed by evening prayer. The delegates very much enjoyed the campus and the city and we had hugely positive feedback to the colloquium as a whole. Warm thanks to the Trustees for their support!
Scaffolding at The Haven
February 7, 2023 • The Venerable Dr Trevor Jones, Chair
Scaffolding has now begun to surround the Haven marking the start of external building work to include Solar Panels on the south facing front and the construction of a Conservatory at the rear, which will provide a large lounge with views over the coast and surrounding countryside.
Annual Report and Accounts 2022
January 28, 2023 • Giles Frampton, PSFT Treasurer
The accounts for the period to 31 December 2021, the first period of the Trust’s existence, can be downloaded below. They show income of £14,757, expenditure of £21,610, a net deficit of £6,853 before recognising the unrealised gain on investments, and net assets of £2,272,259. The accounts have been independently examined and given a clean report.
Exeter Cathedral receives a PSFT grant to purchase a Labyrinth
January 24, 2023 • Canon Chris Palmer, Canon Treasurer
We are delighted with the labyrinth made possible by the Posbury St Francis Trust. It inhabits the space in the Nave perfectly and offers an invitation to people to journey in pilgrimage and prayer. We have used it during worship and when the cathedral is open for sightseeing visitors. We are pleased to have recruited volunteers who help people understand and engage with the labyrinth. We look forward to it continuing to enrich the mission of the cathedral.
Refurbishing The Haven
January 21, 2023 • The Venerable Dr Trevor Jones, Chair
Work continues on refurbishing the Trust’s property at Porthcurno, by The Minack Theatre, Cornwall. To date a new kitchen has been fitted, and the small garage has been converted into an en suite double bedroom.
The extension to the rear to provide a “Conservatory Lounge”, with stunning views to the coast, starts on 30 January.
Roof works to fit solar panels is scheduled for February. We hope the work will be completed by the early summer providing comfortable accommodation for up to 5 people. Watch this space for further updates!