Youngsters from Weymouth & Portland who have benefited from a bequest from Sir Samuel Mico, a London merchant who used Weymouth as his base, will mark the anniversary at a service at St Mary’s church on Friday 14th March 2008, over 340 years after his death.

The Trustees of Weymouth Town Charities which administers the trust left by Sir Samuel Mico in his will of 25^th September 1665, will gather at St Mary’s Church at 1100 on Friday 14^th April 2008. They will be joined at the annual service by the Mayor of Weymouth and those that have benefited from the trust in the last year. After the service the Mayor, trustees and beneficiaries will process from the church to the Ship Inn, with the ceremonial maces of the Weymouth & Portland Borough, an event rarely seen in Weymouth. The commemoration service is an annual event laid down in Mico’s will, when a laurel wreath is placed beneath his coat of arms in St Mary’s Church. The vicar is paid £1 for preaching and afterwards the trustees and beneficiaries gather for lemonade, wine & hot cross buns. This all follows instructions laid down in Mico’s will.

Alan Jones who is Chairman of the Trust said "It is great to get together with the youngsters who we have been able to help over the last yea and we are expecting more than ever to turn out this year. We get requests from all sorts of people, doing all sorts of different things, youngsters studying to be Doctors or Solicitors, those undertaking apprenticeships in the more traditional trades to those studying the performing arts. Each year we are able to help approximately 30 youngsters with grants and we look forward to speaking to them at the annual service to see what they have been doing. The grants are used for various things ranging from purchasing tools, equipment and books, through to helping with course fees or educational expeditions abroad. We also support the work of the South Dorset Branch of the Tall Ships Youth Trust by subsidising places on tall ships voyages for around 8-10 youngsters a year. The trustees are pleased that the trust continues successfully 340 years after Sir Samuel made his bequest and can continue to make contributions to the education of youngsters from Weymouth and Portland, and also to provide a pension for a handful of decayed seaman. Anyone wanting to learn more about the trust or our grants can find details on our website at www.weymouth-town-charities.org.uk."