Alex Timpson Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £436,295 (2023/24)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (trustee-led decisions)
• Grant Range: £2,000 - £750,000
• Geographic Focus: UK and Northern Ireland
• Registered Charity Number: 1174098

Contact Details

General Enquiries:

• Email: LOUISE.APPLEBY@TIMPSON.COM
• Phone: 0161 946 6200
• Website: https://www.timpson-group.co.uk/alex-timpson-trust/

Alternative Contact:

• rachael.cooper@timpson.com (for general enquiries about the trust)

Overview

The Alex Timpson Trust was established in 2017 by Sir John Timpson CBE as the official charity of the Timpson Group, in tribute to his late wife Alex Timpson who championed the rights of fostered and adopted children. With annual charitable expenditure of £436,295, the trust focuses on supporting vulnerable children and young people throughout the UK and Northern Ireland, particularly those who are or have been in the care system. The trust's primary mission is to raise awareness of attachment theory and trauma in schools and wider society, while also providing practical support to foster families. The trust has made significant strategic investments, including a £750,000 gift to Oxford University's Rees Centre to establish the Timpson Attachment Programme, a five-year research initiative that delivered training in attachment and trauma to over 300 schools between 2017 and 2022.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Mockingbird Family Grants: £2,000

• Quarterly grants to Mockingbird constellation families (part of The Fostering Network's programme)
• Each constellation can spend funds to strengthen family bonds or create happy memories
• One family selected each quarter
• Application form available on Timpson Group website

Major Research and Development Grants: £450,000 - £750,000

• Large-scale, multi-year funding for research programmes
• Focus on attachment and trauma awareness in educational settings
• Example: Rees Centre for Research in Fostering and Education at Oxford University

Charitable Donations to Organizations

• Strategic donations to children's charities including Home Start, Missing People, and Winston's Wish
• Beneficiaries identified through trustee discretion
• No public application process

In-kind Support

• Free holiday accommodation for foster families in Devon, Wales, and North Yorkshire
• Free jobs scheme through Timpson shops (raised over £4 million for children's charities)
• Free books on attachment written by Sir John Timpson, available in Timpson shops

Priority Areas

The trust focuses exclusively on:

• Looked-after children: Supporting young people in or from the care system
• Foster families: Providing respite, financial support, and resources
• Attachment awareness: Educating schools and professionals about attachment disorders and trauma
• Children in need: Those facing youth, ill-health, disability, financial hardship, or other disadvantage
• Educational support: Helping schools better respond to the emotional needs of fostered and adopted children

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the trust's narrow focus means they do not fund:

• Projects unrelated to looked-after children or the care system
• Organizations not focused on children and young people
• Work outside the UK and Northern Ireland
• General educational initiatives without attachment/trauma focus

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees:

The trust is governed by three trustees, none of whom receive remuneration:

• Sir John Timpson CBE (Founder and Chairman): Established the trust in honor of his late wife Alex. Sir John has written three free guides on attachment and is passionate about raising awareness of attachment disorders. He has stated that understanding trauma and attachment is critically important for supporting vulnerable children.

• Paresh Majithia (Finance Director): Financial Director for Timpson Group for over 20 years, bringing extensive financial expertise to the trust.

• Louise Appleby (Trustee): Chartered accountant who joined Timpson Group in 2004 and became a trustee in 2021. Manages cashflow, finances, year-end reporting, and ensures all compliance requirements are met.

Quote from James Timpson (about his mother Alex): “She left a substantial legacy of love and friendship.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process for general charitable grants.

The trust operates primarily through trustee-led decision-making, where the board proactively identifies and supports organizations aligned with their mission. General funding applications are not currently accepted.

Exception - Mockingbird Family Grants:

Mockingbird constellation families can apply quarterly for £2,000 grants through an application form on the Timpson Group website: https://www.timpson-group.co.uk/mockingbird-grant-application-form/

For General Enquiries:

Organizations wishing to contact the trust can reach out to:

• Louise Appleby: LOUISE.APPLEBY@TIMPSON.COM
• Rachael Cooper: rachael.cooper@timpson.com

However, enquiries should not be considered funding applications, as the trust does not operate an open grants programme.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at the discretion of trustees on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the trust does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Alex Timpson Trust operates through trustee discretion rather than open applications, organizations are most likely to receive support if they:

Align with Core Mission:

• Work directly with looked-after children, foster families, or adopted children
• Focus on attachment and trauma awareness
• Demonstrate evidence-based approaches to supporting vulnerable young people

Demonstrate Impact at Scale:

• The trust has shown preference for significant, strategic investments (e.g., £750,000 to Oxford University)
• Projects that can influence systemic change in how schools and institutions support care-experienced children
• Research and evaluation capacity to demonstrate outcomes

Have Established Credibility:

• Organizations the trust has supported include well-established entities like The Fostering Network, Oxford University's Rees Centre, and recognized children's charities
• Track record of effective work with target beneficiaries
• Professional governance and financial management

Address Specific Gaps:

• The trust was established with the “primary aim of raising awareness of attachment theory and the needs of looked after and adopted children in schools”
• Projects addressing knowledge gaps or service gaps for this specific population

Connect with Trust Values:

• The trust embodies Alex Timpson's “legacy of love and friendship” toward vulnerable children
• Approaches that combine practical support with emotional well-being
• Family-centered models (evidenced by support for Mockingbird constellations)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application route: The trust does not accept unsolicited funding applications except for Mockingbird family grants
• Highly focused mission: Exclusively supports looked-after children, foster families, and attachment awareness initiatives
• Strategic scale: Previous grants range from £2,000 (Mockingbird families) to £750,000 (Oxford research programme), suggesting appetite for both grassroots and strategic investments
• Research-oriented: Significant investment in the Rees Centre demonstrates value placed on evidence-based practice and building the knowledge base
• Modest income, significant impact: Annual expenditure of approximately £436,000 is concentrated on specific, high-impact initiatives
• Personal connection: Founded in memory of Alex Timpson by Sir John Timpson, with deep personal commitment to foster care and adoption
• Relationship-based: Without public applications, any organizational support likely emerges from existing relationships, sector connections, or trustee identification

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Nagle Family Foundation
• Matchroom Charitable Foundation
• THE RETA LILA HOWARD FOUNDATION
• Westhill Endowment
• Card Factory Foundation
• THE T.K. MAXX AND HOMESENSE FOUNDATION
• The Royal Pinner School Foundation
• SODEXO STOP HUNGER FOUNDATION
• PETPLAN CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE SCREWFIX FOUNDATION

References

1. Charity Commission Register - ALEX TIMPSON TRUST (1174098): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1174098&subid=0

1. Timpson Group - Alex Timpson Trust: https://www.timpson-group.co.uk/alex-timpson-trust/

1. Timpson Group - Meet the Trustees: https://www.timpson-group.co.uk/alex-timpson-trust/meet-the-trustees/

1. Timpson Group - Educating Schools About Attachment: https://www.timpson-group.co.uk/alex-timpson-trust/educating-schools-attachment/

1. Timpson Group - Mockingbird Grant Application Form: https://www.timpson-group.co.uk/mockingbird-grant-application-form/

1. Rees Centre - Sir John Timpson: why understanding trauma and attachment is so important: https://www.education.ox.ac.uk/rees-centre/news/sir-john-timpson-why-understanding-trauma-and-attachment-is-so-important/

1. Giving is Great - ALEX TIMPSON TRUST Charity Factsheet: https://givingisgreat.org.uk/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1174098