St. Martins Church Ruislip

The Ruislip Combined Charity was formed in 1995 by the joining of two long established charities: the Ruislip Non-ecclesiastical Charities and The Ruislip Cottagers’ Allotment  Charity.   The charity helps anyone who lives within the historical parish of Ruislip – that is Ruislip, Northwood, Eastcote, Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip.  

The Charity’s income is derived from investments and the rental of two plots of land in Joel Street, Northwood Hills and Fore Street, Eastcote.  The  area of common land towards the top of Joel Street was originally vested in the Official Trustee of Charity Lands in 1882 with the income administered by the Ruislip Cottagers’ Allotment Charity.  This land remains under the care of the Trustees of the Ruislip Combined Charity, having been leased to the Ruislip-Northwood Smallholding and Allotment Society since 1909.  The land in Fore Street was left by Richard Cogges in 1717, who left two closes of land (now a single field) to be let to benefit poor folk living in the Eastcote part of the parish of Ruislip and Westcote (modern Ruislip).  Cogges’ Charity was incorporated into the Ruislip Non-ecclesiastical Charities in 1896.

After allowing for investment, the Charity’s income is distributed in the form of monetary gifts.  Such are given to the vicars of churches
within the old parish of Ruislip to disburse to members of the parish in financial need, and social workers also suggest named suitable recipients.  The Trustees also offer assistance with purchasing equipment to ease living for the disabled and grants to local groups which work to improve the lives of disadvantaged people.

The Trustees who administer the Charity live locally and are involved in the community in various ways – as councillors, through churches, and as members of local societies.  The aim of the Trustees is to safeguard the charity and to administer it in the spirit intended by those who gave the money or land in the first place.