In 2001, after serving as the fifth Bishop of Sandhurst for over twenty years, Bishop Noel Daly retired due to ill health. In November 2003 he founded the Bishop Noel Daly Foundation, a public charitable trust to "provide money, property and benefit for the specific purpose of providing for the wellbeing and welfare of the poor and marginalised in the Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst."

After the death of Bishop Daly in January 2004, management of the Trust was transferred to the Trustees established by the Deed of Settlement. Following the Trust Deed guidelines, that “the fund will be built up until, according to the discretion of the Trustees, its income is such that it can serve the wellbeing or welfare of one of our ‘poor,’ " the trustees determined that the trust fund should allow for donations to be received, so in order to prudently grow and manage the fund and all monies received, the trustees engaged a professional financial planner.

When determining who is to be assisted by the Trust and how they are best assisted, the trustees adhere to the guidelines established by the Trust Deed.

Including the following quote among others:-

"Who is our ‘poor’? The subject should be one, an individual or family or group. A school (community), a church (group) or charitable organisation, or a parish whose situation requires financial assistance to ensure their human dignity and wellbeing for their physical and spiritual health and education. Usually the position would be that other assistance is unavailable, inadequate or unlikely."

The Guidelines further direct:

"It is not intended that there should be ‘applicants’. It will be the responsibility of the Trustees to search out the ‘poor,’ and it will be most likely that the recipients will be characterised by their modesty and the humble endeavour to cope with their limited resources, or their restricted circumstances."

Trustees continue to seek out people who are in situations that meet the criteria set by the Noel Daly Foundation guidelines and constantly have their ears to the ground.

Over the years, Diocesan agencies and organisations which have received assistance from the Noel Daly Trust include CatholicCare, L'Arche and numerous school communities.

In recent years, people in drought-stricken areas, particularly those in the dairy industry, have been given relief from their daily grind.

Most recently, families affected by bushfire in the communities of Corryong, Tallangatta and Myrtleford have been assisted with the resources to get their children back to school, including assistance with school fees.

For further information please contact the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Monsignor Frank Marriott on 0427 315 633.

For more information about Bishop Noel Daly click here.