User:DVFoundation

The Doreen Valiente Foundation was formed on the 6th March 2011 as a charitable trust and it took legal possession of the collection of artefacts etc that Doreen had left in her will to John Belham-Payne. As well as the document preventing the collection from being split up, sold off or exploited for the gain of any individual, the charitable “objects” of the Foundation were declared in the Deed Of Trust as follows: * Insert non-formatted text here “To protect artefacts which are important to the past, present and future of pagan religions” *    “To make the artefacts available for education and research” The new Trustees held the Foundation’s first meeting and resolved over the next 12 months to: The first year has been a busy one, charitable status was granted by the Inland Revenue and the Foundation launched its Gift Aid scheme whereby donations by Uk tax payers can have the tax re-claimed by the Foundation each year. The Charity Commission application process for the status of “Registered Charity” is well underway and a number of talks and exhibitions have been held.
 * Insert non-formatted text here Seek charitable status from the Inland Revenue and subsequently the Charities Commission.
 * To catalogue and prepare the artefacts for their new purpose, that of exhibition.
 * To begin to give talks about Doreen Valiente and her legacy and to deliver mobile exhibitions of the artefacts.

In September 2012 the Foundation opened its doors for membership at last.

The Foundation has received several pledges of further artefacts to add to the Collection and anticipates increased growth by future donations. The push is now underway to find a permanent home for the artefacts as a museum and talks are taking place to secure a location and funding for this, the location will also become a permanent place of education and research into Paganism and Pagan-related history which will be a physical “Centre For Pagan Studies”.