The Trust was established by James Dick (1743 to 1828), who was born in Forres, Morayshire. In his Will, he provided for the establishment of a fund to support additional education for teachers in what is now Aberdeenshire and Morayshire but excluding the City of Aberdeen.
The terms of the Trust were agreed by The Court of Session and under the Education Endowments (Scotland) Acts. The present Trust Scheme was framed in 1979 and takes the form of a Statutory Instrument. The Trust is a Registered Scottish Charity (Charity Number: SC013641)
The Trust is known as “The Dick Bequest Trust”.
The Trust actively promotes all aspects of education and is fully committed to inclusion, equality and diversity.
The Trustees accept that like many of the donors and founders of today’s charitable and educational institutions, James Dick, along with business people and merchants, and such institutions themselves, as well as landed gentry, is likely to have had some connection with the 18th century slave trade or the products thereof.
There are indications suggesting that some of the original bequest funds, on his death in 1828, came from that connection as James Dick spent a number of years in Jamaica in his early life, before returning to England in 1783.
Considering the above, the Trustees, who are bound by the strict limits of their power not to award grants outwith the area of benefit (defined on our How to Apply page), had previously agreed, and wish to further communicate, the following:
It is within their power to consider grants to teachers in the area of benefit who would like to learn more about how to educate children on the history and consequences of the involvement of Scotland in that trade, as well as modern forms of slavery. They would therefore wish to encourage such applications.
The main purpose of the Trust is to provide grants which will assist teachers in improving their efficiency through courses and activities, thus improving the quality of education offered to pupils.
Grants are provided for courses of study, for travel of an educational nature, in the UK or internationally, and in particular activities such as courses leading to a further qualification or degree, attendance at a vacation class or summer school, taking a correspondence or distance learning course, outdoor learning, courses in pastoral care, guidance or leadership, the purchase of books and educational research.
There are ten Trustees (known as Governors).
Five are Edinburgh solicitors, all of whom have some association with the area of benefit.
Two are academics with connections to the area of benefit and who have a particular interest in education
Three are persons of experience in education, two of whom must live in Aberdeenshire and one of whom must live in Morayshire as they respectively represent those Council areas.