Event at Holy Trinity Community and Partnership Centre, Newark, celebrates 35 years of The Mary Elizabeth Siebel Charity
A charity dedicated to helping those over the age of 60 to stay in their own homes is celebrating 35 years in the community.
Current and former trustees, suppliers and supporters of The Mary Elizabeth Siebel Charity came together at Holy Trinity Community and Partnership Centre, Newark, to mark the charity’s anniversary.
The charity’s mission is to provide grants for items that will enable eligible people — aged over 60, who live within 12 miles of Newark Town Hall, have a medical condition and financial struggles — to continue to live in their homes for a long as possible.
The charity was founded in 1990 by Florence Seibel, who taught at the former Lilley and Stone High School.
The charity’s name is named after Florence’s mother, Mary Elizabeth, who met her father when he came to England in 1890 as a Jewish refugee from Alsace on the French-German border.
Originally, her father came to England with the intent to improve his English before going to South America and making his fortune, until he met Mary Elizabeth and made his fortune here.
That fortune, in part, seeded the charity. Florence’s father had been a friend of the founders of Marks & Spencer and was repaid in shares, with the last property having been sold four years ago.
The celebration event welcomed current and former trustees, charity assessors, councillors and suppliers.
Guest of honour, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire Sir Andrew Pulford, praised the work of the trust and its far-reaching impact on the area.
He said: “This charity doesn’t just manage money, it transforms lives.
“Small changes like a scooter or stairlift are about more than convenience; they preserve dignity, independence and joy.
“Small little things that make a huge difference in a life, so thank you for all that you've done.
“More importantly, keep doing it because I find it astonishing that in an affluent modern society like our own, we've got people who need help.
“We do have those people, and it is because of charities like this that those people get the help they need.”
The charity offers grants for a range of household items including cookers, washers, tumble driers, fridges and freezers, rise and recline chairs, adaptable beds, stair lifts, bathrooms adaptations, and electric scooters.
The chairman of the Trustees, Robert Beale, said: “To mark 35 years of a charity that has done so much for the town of Newark is great, and being able to see present and past people come together for a charity that has done so much in a simple and quiet way is amazing.
“Just being able to do a little difference in people’s lives to make their life easier, a lot of people that we help have worked and lived in Newark all their lives, so it is nice to be part of this.
“It is quite an honour to be able to be the chairman of such a great charity and continue its legacy for future generations, so there isn’t any reason this charity can’t continue for another 35 years.”
Karen McEuan, the charity’s assessor, was a nurse at Newark Hospital for several years before she joined the team four years ago.
At the event, she also spoke about her work, sharing stories from residents the charity has supported.
These included a woman in her 80s who suddenly developed Guillain-Barré syndrome and was unable to move, and a powered wheelchair funded by the charity helped her regain independence and move freely around her home.
Other examples included a stairlift for a woman awaiting a hip replacement, a wheelchair for a man with dementia so he could enjoy the sunshine once more, and bathroom adaptations that made everyday hygiene safe again for a couple struggling with frailty.
Karen added: “Newark people are proud and often don’t want to ask for help.
“But these small grants make an enormous difference to people’s lives, giving them independence and comfort in their own homes.”
The charity works with local businesses, including Care Matters, Bowery Builders, Cartergate Bed Centre, Abel stairlift providers, and Youngs Appliance Centre to deliver essential goods and adaptations.
At the event there was a stand with several thank you postcards sent by people who have been supported by the charity.
Susan Andrew, who has benefited from the charity, wrote: “I would just like to say a big thank you for picking me out to have a new scooter to help me get out and about and getting me out and having my independence back again.
“It has helped me out and about and meeting my friends again.
“It has helped me be me again.”
Couple Dennis and Eileen Smith received a stairlift and they described it as a ‘game changer’.
They wrote: “The lady you sent to organise it [Karen] was so kind and helpful, which meant a lot.
“Thank you again, this is the second time you have helped us, before with a walk-in shower.
“What would we have done with you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
The charity now manages a fund of around £4 million and distributes £75,000 to £80,000 annually in grants.
Applications are assessed through a process that includes endorsement by a medical practitioner and a financial review.
People who might need help from the charity can contact them through their website, where they can find an application form of call Tallents on 01636 671881 to ask for the form.
