Harry Crook Foundation funded Misfits Theatre Group in 2015 
Born in 1889, Harry Crook was one of Bristol’s great benefactors. Following years in the public eye, as a businessman and the city’s Alderman, Sheriff and Lord Mayor in turns, he established the Harry Crook Foundation in 1963 to support a wide range of charitable causes in the Bristol area. In 1988, the foundation provided seed funding to set up and establish the Greater Bristol Trust, now Quartet Community Foundation.
Derek Bellew, who was a trustee of the Harry Crook Foundation, explains why they first came to provide support.
“Harry’s impulse was to provide fort the community surrounding the factory where his staff lived. By helping Quartet to get off the ground back then we felt that we were establishing a more sustainable way of helping the community than we could achieve on our own.”
“We saw the Quartet had good local knowledge as well as the ability to monitor that the money would be well spent. The grant from Quartet acts as a type of accreditation inspiring confidence in the group and this can lead to funding from other sources. Ultimately, our money becomes part of the fabric of community life,” says Derek.
Whilst the Harry Crook Foundation itself wound down in 2020, the permanent fund with Quartet will continue to make grants forever. From the initial investment of £100k, the fund is now valued at £279,127 and has awarded more than £123,000 since it was set up in 1993.
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