Alfred Williams Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 266652

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M
Geographic Focus: Suffolk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ??103,122 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 4-8 weeks (three meetings per year)
  • Grant Range: ??250 - ??3,000
  • Geographic Focus: Suffolk only

Contact Details

Website: https://alfredwilliamscharitabletrust.org

Email: alfredwilliamscharitabletrust@gmail.com

Phone: 07917 509009

Administrator: Kat Bowe

Postal Address: 12a Simpson Way, Barrow, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP29 5EA

Registered Address: Haughley Park, Haughley, Stowmarket, IP14 3JY

Overview

The Alfred Williams Charitable Trust was established by Alfred Williams MBE (1919-1994), who purchased the historic Haughley Park estate near Stowmarket in 1957 for his poultry business. Following his death in 1994, the parkland and woodland were placed into trust. The charity (registered 266652) now focuses on funding projects related to the natural and historic man-made environment in Suffolk, with a bias towards preservation or regeneration of built heritage, amenity, and landscape. The trust also provides modest support to social causes including voluntary care, education, theatre, music, youth, and community projects. In the financial year ending April 2024, the trust had an income of ??90,520 and made grants totaling ??103,122. The trust is administered by four trustees and was instrumental in co-founding the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust in 1973.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Environmental & Heritage Grants: ??250 - ??3,000

  • Conservation and restoration projects
  • Historic building fabric repairs (excluding reordering projects like church kitchens/toilets)
  • Natural environment projects
  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis with three annual deadlines

Social Causes Grants: ??250 - ??3,000

  • Start-up projects for new initiatives
  • Modest ongoing support for established groups
  • Focus areas: voluntary care, education, theatre, music, youth and community projects
  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis with three annual deadlines

Priority Areas

Environmental & Heritage (Primary Focus):

  • Historic building conservation and restoration (fabric only)
  • Built heritage preservation
  • Landscape and amenity regeneration
  • Natural environment projects
  • Projects addressing uncovered local needs

Social Causes (Secondary Focus):

  • Voluntary care organizations
  • Educational initiatives
  • Theatre and music groups
  • Youth organizations
  • Community projects
  • Organizations that struggle to raise funds through traditional channels

Geographic Emphasis: All funding is restricted to Suffolk only. Proximity to Stowmarket (the trust's base) affects both donation size and application success rates - projects closer to Stowmarket tend to receive more favorable consideration.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual applicants
  • National charities (unless for Suffolk-specific projects)
  • Church reordering projects (kitchens, toilets, interior reconfigurations)
  • Ongoing maintenance or routine activities
  • Projects outside Suffolk county
  • Conservation/restoration ongoing activities (one-off projects only)
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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by four trustees who meet three times annually to review grant applications. One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for providing services.

Historical Leadership: Founded by Alfred Williams MBE, who was a prominent Suffolk businessman and philanthropist. He purchased Haughley Park in 1957 and was instrumental in launching the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust in December 1973 alongside the 11th Duke of Grafton and other Suffolk benefactors.

Current Administration: Kat Bowe serves as Administrator, managing the application process and serving as the primary contact for applicants.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Application Method:

  • Download and complete the summary sheet from the trust's website
  • Submit via email (preferred): alfredwilliamscharitabletrust@gmail.com
  • Or by post to: Kat Bowe, Administrator AWCT, 12a Simpson Way, Barrow, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP29 5EA

Required Documents:

  • Completed summary sheet (Word document available on website)
  • Supporting documentation demonstrating project need and public benefit

Application Deadlines: Applications must be received by the end of:

  • January (for Spring meeting)
  • May (for Summer meeting)
  • September (for Autumn meeting)

Decision Timeline

Meeting Frequency: Three times per year (approximately every 4 months)

Typical Timeline:

  • Submit application by deadline (end of January/May/September)
  • Trustees review at next quarterly meeting
  • Decision typically within 4-8 weeks of deadline
  • Notification method not specified publicly

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, the trust notes that proximity to Stowmarket affects both the size of donations and the success rate of applications, suggesting that local projects have higher success rates.

Reapplication Policy

The trust does not publicly state restrictions on reapplication for unsuccessful applicants. Organizations are encouraged to contact the administrator for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Key Guidance from the Trust

The trust explicitly states: “It is important to remember that the trustees need to be convinced of a public benefit.” This is the most critical factor for application success. Applications must clearly demonstrate how the project serves the broader public interest beyond the immediate organization.

Strategic Considerations

Geographic Proximity: The trust acknowledges that “distance from their base near Stowmarket tends to affect the size of a donation and the success of an application.” Projects in or near Stowmarket have a strategic advantage.

Funding Gap Focus: The trust “tries to favor causes that find it harder to raise money from the general public.” Applications should emphasize if the project struggles with traditional fundraising channels.

Project Type Preference:

  • For heritage/environment: One-off conservation/restoration projects are preferred over ongoing maintenance
  • For social causes: Start-up projects or modest ongoing support for established groups filling uncovered local needs

Examples of Funded Projects

Known recipients include:

  • Little Ouse Headwaters Project (River Link Appeal for heritage and nature conservation)
  • Suffolk Owl Sanctuary (conservation work)
  • Plant Heritage (conservation efforts)
  • Eden's Project Sudbury (community project)
  • Citizens Advice Mid Suffolk (ongoing support)
  • Various local music and community organizations

What Makes Applications Stand Out

  1. Clear Public Benefit: Articulate how the project serves the wider Suffolk community, not just organization members
  2. Local Suffolk Focus: Emphasize deep roots in Suffolk and local impact
  3. Proximity to Stowmarket: Projects in Mid Suffolk have an advantage
  4. Difficulty Fundraising Elsewhere: Demonstrate that traditional fundraising is challenging for your cause
  5. Uncovered Local Need: Show that the project addresses a gap in local provision
  6. One-Off Projects: For heritage/environment applications, frame as discrete conservation/restoration projects rather than ongoing maintenance
  7. Modest Requests: The trust favors smaller grants (??250-??3,000 range) allowing them to support multiple organizations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Suffolk-only focus is absolute - do not apply for projects outside Suffolk county boundaries; proximity to Stowmarket enhances success
  • Public benefit must be explicit - this is the trustees' primary criterion; clearly articulate how the wider community benefits beyond your organization
  • Plan around three annual deadlines - applications due end of January, May, and September; factor 4-8 weeks for decisions
  • Modest grant amounts - expect ??250-??3,000; tailor budget requests to discrete project elements that fit this range
  • Heritage applications should focus on fabric repairs - conservation and restoration of buildings/landscape, not interior reordering or routine maintenance
  • Social cause applications should emphasize local need - particularly effective for start-up projects or organizations struggling with traditional fundraising
  • Complete the summary sheet thoroughly - this is a required document; download from website and provide comprehensive supporting documentation demonstrating public benefit

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