Barry And Martin's Trust

Charity Number: 1062629

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M
Geographic Focus: Burma, China, Hong Kong

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Income: £139,000 - £193,000
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation/trustee discretion)
  • Grant Range: Varies by project type; Annual Prize £10,000
  • Geographic Focus: China, Hong Kong, Myanmar (UK-China axis)
  • Charity Number: 1062629
  • Founded: 1996

Contact Details

Website: www.barryandmartinstrust.org

Email: nathalie@barryandmartin.org

Phone: 020 8785 2342

Address: London, United Kingdom

Current Chair: Nathalie Gordon

Chairman Emeritus: Martin Gordon CBE

Overview

Barry and Martin's Trust was established in 1996 by Martin Gordon CBE in memory of his late partner Barry Chan, who died of HIV-related illness. For nearly three decades, the Trust has operated as a small, independent UK-registered charity focusing exclusively on HIV/AIDS education, prevention, treatment, and care across China, Hong Kong, and Myanmar. With annual income between £139,000-£193,000, the Trust operates entirely on a voluntary basis with no full-time employees, ensuring maximum reach for its funds. The Trust has received recognition for its work, with founder Martin Gordon awarded a CBE for services to people living with HIV and AIDS in China. Their distinctive approach combines direct project funding, an annual prize program recognizing excellence in HIV/AIDS care, and long-term partnerships with hospitals and community organizations across China's provinces.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates through several funding mechanisms:

Annual Prize Programme: £10,000 prize awarded annually to recognize doctors, nurses, community workers, and leaders of gay and HIV groups across China who have demonstrated excellence in AIDS education, prevention, and care. First awarded in 2000, this prize has recognized healthcare professionals and activists in multiple provinces including Yunnan, Beijing, Qingdao, Nanchang, and Xinjiang.

Hospital Support: Long-term institutional support for hospitals providing HIV/AIDS treatment and care, including Beijing Ditan Hospital, Beijing You'an Hospital, No. 2 People's Hospital in Dali (Peggy Health Centre), Xinjiang Medical University Hospital, and infectious disease hospitals in Guangzhou, Urumqi, and Chengdu.

Community Group Support: Direct grants to MSM (men who have sex with men) community groups across China, female sex worker outreach programs, and drug user support initiatives. Early support for gay groups was described as “bringing hot coals through the snow” when no other funding was available.

Professional Development: Sponsorship for Chinese doctors and nurses to undertake training visits to England, and support for UK-China knowledge exchange between health professionals.

Capital Projects: Major infrastructure funding, exemplified by the Peggy Health Centre in Dali, Yunnan - the first hospital building in China dedicated specifically to AIDS care, opened in 2004 through joint funding with the Mary Kinross Charitable Trust.

Priority Areas

  • HIV/AIDS prevention, education, treatment, and care in China
  • Support for vulnerable and marginalized populations: MSM communities, female sex workers, drug users, migrant workers
  • Building healthcare capacity in China's provinces and minority regions
  • UK-China knowledge transfer and professional exchange
  • Combating stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS
  • Supporting confidential, non-prejudicial healthcare access

What They Don't Fund

  • Work outside the HIV/AIDS field
  • Projects without a China/UK connection
  • General healthcare or medical research unrelated to HIV/AIDS
  • Organizations or projects outside their established network (no public application process)
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Nathalie Gordon - Chair
  • Martin Gordon CBE - Chairman Emeritus and Founder
  • James Lewisohn - Trustee
  • Eugene Chang - Trustee

Directors:

  • Dr. Shisong Jiang
  • Zhen Li

Key Advisers:

UK Medical Advisers: Professors Brian Gazzard, Frances Gotch, Clifford Leen, Xiaoning Xu, John Walsh, Mike Youle

China Advisers: Dr. Xu Keyi, Professor Zeng Yi

International Advisers: Dr. Damien Lu (USA), Professor Willy Wong (Hong Kong)

Legal Advisers: Richard Creed, Peter Tustin (UK); Michael Hickman (China)

Programme Manager: Ming Fang Song

Treasurer: Paul Beadman FCA

Secretary: Ines Lock

Martin Gordon CBE on the Trust's Philosophy:

“We visited very sick people in hospitals, very sick children, and we were always holding them in our arms. And the physical contact made all the difference – people will remember us for what we did.”

Martin Gordon established the Trust following his partner's death, recalling: "Barry had said to me before he died, 'Martin, you must do something for charity.'“ Gordon pursued his vision of UK-China collaboration, leveraging personal connections: ”One of my good friends, a Chinese doctor in Oxford, said 'If you're going to Beijing, let me introduce you to the chief people in the Ministry of Health.'"

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity, ensuring all funds support program work.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Barry and Martin's Trust does not have a public application process. Grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees to organizations and individuals they have identified through their extensive network in China and the UK.

The Trust's grant-making approach is relationship-based. Projects are typically identified through:

  • Established partnerships with hospitals and medical institutions in China
  • Long-term collaborations with UK charities (Mary Kinross Charitable Trust, Voluntary Service Overseas, Save the Children, Elton John AIDS Foundation)
  • Connections with Chinese health professionals and community leaders
  • Partnerships with international organizations (Ford Foundation, Clinton Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

The Annual Prize recipients are selected directly by trustees based on recommendations from their advisor network across China, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional work in HIV/AIDS care and prevention.

For the Peggy Health Centre project, support came about when "Dr. Zhang Jianbo approached Barry & Martin's Trust for help to continue the AIDS work in Dali," illustrating how relationships and direct approaches from known partners drive funding decisions.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no formal application cycle. Funding decisions are made by trustees on an ongoing basis for organizations and projects within their existing network.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the Trust does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no formal application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since Barry and Martin's Trust does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors characterize their funding approach:

Relationship-Driven Funding: The Trust funds projects that emerge from long-term relationships with trusted partners in China and the UK. As evidenced by their work with the Peggy Health Centre, projects often begin when known partners “approach” the Trust with specific needs.

Focus on Vulnerable Populations: The Trust prioritizes work that reaches marginalized groups, particularly MSM communities, female sex workers, drug users, and migrant workers. Early support for gay groups was described as “bringing hot coals through the snow” when no other funding existed, demonstrating their commitment to underserved populations.

Small Size, Maximum Impact: The Trust emphasizes that "their small size and longstanding contacts ensure that their funds have maximum reach in China's HIV/AIDS response efforts." They value efficient, direct support rather than administrative overhead.

Physical Presence and Personal Connection: Martin Gordon's philosophy emphasizes direct contact: “We visited very sick people in hospitals, very sick children, and we were always holding them in our arms. And the physical contact made all the difference.” This hands-on approach informs their funding decisions.

Model Projects: The Trust seeks to support initiatives that can serve as models for others, as with the Peggy Health Centre - “the first hospital building in China dedicated specifically to AIDS” and “designed to be a model for future AIDS clinics in China.”

Collaborative Funding: Many projects involve partnerships with other funders (Mary Kinross Charitable Trust, major international foundations), demonstrating the Trust's preference for collaborative approaches.

UK-China Knowledge Exchange: Projects that facilitate transfer of skills and knowledge between UK and Chinese health professionals align with the Trust's core mission, including training visits and professional exchanges.

Recognition of Excellence: Through their Annual Prize, the Trust identifies and celebrates individuals making exceptional contributions, often leading to ongoing support and collaboration.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this Trust funds exclusively through trustee discretion and established relationships within their China-UK network
  • Relationship-building is essential - all funded projects emerge from long-term partnerships with known individuals and institutions
  • Highly specialized focus - exclusively HIV/AIDS work in China, Hong Kong, and Myanmar; no funding outside this niche
  • Small, agile operation - run entirely by volunteers with no full-time staff, ensuring funds go directly to programs
  • Focus on marginalized populations - particularly strong commitment to MSM communities, sex workers, drug users, and other vulnerable groups facing stigma
  • Long-term partnerships valued - the Trust has worked with the same partners (hospitals, community groups, UK charities) for many years
  • Hands-on approach - trustees and advisors maintain direct personal contact with funded projects and beneficiaries
  • If you have established work in HIV/AIDS care in China and connections to their existing network, contact via nathalie@barryandmartin.org may be appropriate, but unsolicited applications are unlikely to be successful

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