The OH Fund was set up in 1975 as a result of a bequest by Arthur Zimmerman.

Arthur attended Hereford Cathedral School between 1902 – 1908 and lived most of his life in Tarrington, Herefordshire. He died in 1963 leaving an estate valued at £250,000.00

However, the fund was not established until 1975 as Arthur had made provisions for his cook and housekeeper for their lifetimes and then death duties applied. This left a balance of £100,000.00 with which members of the committee of the OH Club set up the OH Fund, with the assistance of Evershed and Tompkins (Solicitors) in Birmingham.

THE OHF/CIO is a completely separate body to the OH Club. The OH Club itself (as a member’s club) is not a suitable body for legal recognition as a charity.
The OHF/CIO is recognised by the Charity Commission and HMRC as a charity and has clearly defined rules.

Arthur made it clear that he did not want his assets ever handed over to the governing body of the school but for those assets to be used for the benefit of the school at the absolute discretion of the beneficiaries of his will. Those wishes are overseen and managed by the eleven trustees of the OHF/CIO. Those trustees are:

Richard Hammonds (Chairman)
Nick Bolt (Deputy Chairman)
Mark Ellis
Clive Potter
Richard Binnersley
Lee Seal
Peter Williams
Jonathan Sheldon
Graham Kemp
Gill Rivers
Joseph Goldsmith

Our bankers are Barclays and accountants Thorne Widgery where Lisa Weaver oversees our decisions and sends our annual returns to HMRC, The Charity Commission and Companies House.
 
The CIO owns various properties in and around Castle Street, The Close and Quay Street. These premises are occupied by HCS who pay a current market rental for each property. This rental being set by an independent surveyor based in Hereford.

All of the properties owned by the CIO were purchased by the fund when requests were made by the school governors.
As well as recycling a considerable proportion of the rental income to HCS the CIO has also been able to build an investment fund for the future.

The CIO also administers a fund of money received from the late Ege Parker a much loved and missed teacher and house master.

The properties owned by the OHF/CIO are:

The Zimmerman Building (bordering the Cathedral Close and Church Street)
Number 2 Castle Street
29-30a Castle Street
The Moat (a new build for the Junior School) off Castle Hill
The Buttery (in Quay Street)
 
All of this has been possible because of the kindness and generosity of a shy and retiring man called Arther Zimmerman, who having no family to share his wealth left it to the OH Club to set up a fund, independent of Hereford Cathedral School, but to benefit Hereford Cathedral School.

The OHF/CIO continues to be the single largest annual donor of money to Hereford Cathedral School.
 
Nick Bolt 2024
With grateful thanks to Peter Williams