History

The Foundation has existed as an educational charity since 1904, and arose out of two even older charities set up by two local gentlemen to assist the poor.

The first of those charities was set up by a man called Job Potter, who died in 1686 leaving in his will the annual proceeds of some property in Berkswell - which was then 10 shillings - to the churchwardens at Exhall to be distributed among the poor on St Thomas' Day.

The second benefactor, William Bentley - who also built the small church hall at St Giles' as a school and then a Sunday School -  left funds in his will in 1808 to set up 'William Bentley's Bread and Educational Charities'. This was a time when bread charities were commonplace as a means of helping feed the poor in very straitened times. There are 1883 records of money being awarded as prizes to children of the parish attending board schools, and also of bread being given out in Sunday School on St Thomas' Day - so a tradition set up by Job Potter that lasted at least around 200 years, possibly longer!

In 1904 the remit of the majority of the funds of Bentley's charity was changed to be used for educational assistance - hence the current Foundation was born. A small sum, £3 2s 6d in 1904, was kept for noneducational needs, and became known as the William Bentley's Charity for the Poor and Job Potter's Gift.

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