Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust
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Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: £690,716 (charitable expenditure, year ending October 2024)
- Total Income: £554,077 (year ending October 2024)
- Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
- Geographic Focus: England and Wales
- Established: 1966
Contact Details
Address: Duncan Sheard Glass, Castle Chambers, 43 Castle Street, Liverpool, L2 9TL
Phone: 0151 294 5400
Charity Number: 249997
Website: No public website identified
Overview
The Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust was established on 16 December 1966 and is part of the broader Pilkington family charitable giving tradition linked to the historic Pilkington glass manufacturing company. The trust operates as a grant-making foundation supporting charitable organizations across England and Wales. With an annual income of approximately £554,000 (largely from investments) and charitable expenditure of around £690,000 in the year ending October 2024, the trust demonstrates consistent philanthropic activity. The trust's purpose is deliberately broad: to apply its capital and income to charitable corporations, trusts, associations, or institutions for charitable purposes as the trustees determine in their absolute discretion, including the preservation of trust land and buildings for public benefit.
Funding Priorities
Priority Areas
The trust supports a wide range of charitable purposes including:
- Education and Training - Supporting educational initiatives and skills development
- Health and Saving Lives - Advancing health outcomes and medical research
- Poverty Relief - Addressing financial hardship and social disadvantage
- Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Science - Preserving cultural assets and advancing knowledge
- Environment, Conservation, and Heritage - Protecting natural and built heritage for public benefit
Application Method
No public application portal or formal guidelines are available. The trust operates at the trustees' absolute discretion in selecting beneficiaries.
What They Don't Fund
Not publicly specified, though the trust is limited to charitable purposes within England and Wales.

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Governance and Leadership
The trust is governed by four trustees who serve without remuneration:
- Arnold Philip Pilkington - Trustee
- Dr Vanessa Pilkington - Trustee (appointed 2012), Consultant Psychologist with extensive experience in voluntary sector and healthcare
- Heloise Pilkington - Trustee (appointed 2012)
- Mark Rupert Feeny - Trustee
The trust operates with no paid employees and minimal overhead, maximizing funds available for charitable distribution. The trustees exercise complete discretion in selecting grant recipients.
Application Process and Timeline
How to Apply
The Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust does not maintain a public website or published application guidelines. Contact should be made directly through:
- Post: Duncan Sheard Glass, Castle Chambers, 43 Castle Street, Liverpool, L2 9TL
- Phone: 0151 294 5400
Decision Timeline
Not publicly disclosed. The trustees meet periodically to review charitable giving decisions.
Success Rates
No public information available regarding application volumes or success rates.
Reapplication Policy
Not publicly disclosed.
Application Success Factors
Due to the limited public information about this trust's grant-making activities, specific success factors are difficult to determine. However, based on available information:
- Alignment with Broad Charitable Purposes - The trust operates with wide discretion across education, health, poverty relief, arts, culture, heritage, science, and environmental conservation
- Focus on England and Wales - Ensure your organization operates within this geographic scope
- Established Organizations - The trust makes grants to “charitable corporations, trusts, associations, or institutions,” suggesting a preference for established entities rather than individuals
- Example Recipients - Cancer Research UK has been identified as a recipient, indicating support for major national health charities
Given the trust's discretionary nature and lack of public application process, organizations may benefit from:
- Direct contact with trustees or their representatives at the Liverpool office
- Clear articulation of charitable purposes aligned with the trust's broad scope
- Demonstration of organizational credibility and charitable registration
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- Highly Discretionary - This trust operates entirely at the trustees' discretion without published guidelines or open application processes
- Broad Charitable Scope - Wide-ranging interests across education, health, poverty, arts, heritage, and environment provide potential alignment opportunities
- Pilkington Family Connection - Part of the broader Pilkington charitable giving tradition in the Liverpool/Merseyside region
- Direct Contact Required - Without a public application portal, direct outreach to the Liverpool office is necessary
- Limited Public Information - Minimal transparency regarding grant amounts, recipients, or decision processes
- Established Entities - Focus on supporting other charitable organizations rather than individuals
- Geographic Limitation - Restricted to England and Wales
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References
- Charity Commission for England and Wales. (2025). Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust - Charity Overview (Charity No. 249997). Retrieved from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/249997
- Find That Charity. (2025). Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust (GB-CHC-249997). Retrieved from https://findthatcharity.uk/orgid/GB-CHC-249997
- Cancer Research UK. Thank You To Our Supporters - More Research Less Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/get-involved/donate/philanthropy/more-research-less-cancer/thank-you
- Giving is Great. Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust Charity Factsheet. Retrieved from https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=249997
- Charity Commission financial data for year ending 05 October 2024