Clara Martineau Charity

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 1040051
• Annual Giving: Approximately £100,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Not specified (varies by application)
• Geographic Focus: Birmingham (children attending Birmingham City Council maintained schools)
• Reporting Status: Overdue by 193 days (as of most recent Charity Commission check)

Contact Details

Email: jackie.crowley@birmingham.gov.uk

Phone: 0121 464 3928

Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?subid=0&regid=1040051

Overview

The Clara Martineau Charity was established from funds left in the will of Clara Martineau (1875-1932), Birmingham's third woman councillor and a pioneering champion of special education. Clara served on Birmingham City Council for nearly 20 years until her death in 1932, chairing the Special Schools subcommittee and the Mental Deficiency Act Committee. The charity continues her legacy of supporting children with special educational needs, distributing approximately £100,000 annually. The charity previously operated the Martineau Seaside School in Bognor Regis from 1955 to 1987, and received capital funds from its sale. The charity is currently registered with 6 trustees, with recent financial data showing income of £187,725 and expenditure of £424,710 for the year ending 31 March 2025 (though reporting is overdue).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The charity operates a single grant program focused on residential and recreational education for children with special educational needs in Birmingham. Trustees consider bids from:

• Special Schools in Birmingham
• Schools with special needs resource bases in Birmingham

Eligibility: Only children under 19 years of age attending schools maintained by Birmingham City Council as local education authority

Priority Areas

Primary Focus:

• Promoting residential education experiences for children with special educational needs
• Providing facilities for recreation and leisure time occupation
• Improving the condition of life for children with SEND through educational and recreational activities

Historical Context: The charity originated from Clara Martineau's bequest toward “the purchase of a seaside holiday home for the handicapped,” reflecting its ongoing commitment to residential and recreational educational experiences.

What They Don't Fund

• Children not attending Birmingham City Council maintained schools
• Children over 19 years of age
• Schools or organizations outside Birmingham
• Mainstream schools without special needs provision or resource bases
• Individual family applications (grants appear to be made to schools/organizations)

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Governance and Leadership

The charity has 6 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Specific trustee names are not publicly listed in available search results, though the charity appears to have connections to Birmingham City Council education services, as evidenced by the contact email domain.

The charity has no employees receiving benefits over £60,000, does not raise funds from the public, and has no trading subsidiaries.

Historical Legacy: Clara Martineau herself was a pioneering figure in Birmingham politics and special education. She was elected as Birmingham's third woman councillor on 14 October 1913 in the Edgbaston ward, succeeded Ellen Pinsent in chairing the Special Schools subcommittee, and became a Justice of the Peace in 1921. Her dedication to special education helped establish Birmingham as “a beacon for special education” in the UK.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The charity considers “bids from Special Schools and schools with special needs resource bases in Birmingham.” However, specific application procedures, forms, or submission processes are not publicly documented.

Note: The charity does not appear to have a public website or published application guidelines. Applications likely go through Birmingham City Council's education department channels.

Contact for Applications: Based on provided contact information, interested schools should contact:

• Email: jackie.crowley@birmingham.gov.uk
• Phone: 0121 464 3928

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines, meeting schedules, or notification timeframes are not publicly available.

Success Rates

Application numbers and success rates are not publicly documented.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited publicly available information about the application process, the following factors can be inferred from the charity's stated purposes:

Alignment with Core Mission:

• Projects that promote residential education experiences for children with special educational needs
• Activities that provide recreation and leisure opportunities
• Programs designed to improve the quality of life for children with SEND

Eligible Applicants:

• Birmingham special schools
• Birmingham mainstream schools with special needs resource bases
• Only schools maintained by Birmingham City Council as the local education authority

Historical Focus: The charity's origins in providing seaside holiday experiences suggests a continued interest in residential trips, outdoor education, and recreational activities that take children outside their usual environment.

Birmingham-Specific: The charity is deeply rooted in Birmingham's education system and only supports children attending Birmingham City Council schools.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Highly Specific Geographic Focus: Only Birmingham City Council maintained schools are eligible - this is a strict requirement
• SEND Specialists: The charity exclusively supports children with special educational needs under 19 years
• Institutional Applications: Schools and educational institutions appear to be the applicants, not individual families
• Limited Public Information: The charity operates with minimal public-facing documentation; direct contact may be necessary to understand current priorities and processes
• Historical Mission: Understanding Clara Martineau's original vision for seaside holidays and recreational education may help frame compelling applications
• Birmingham Education Connection: The contact email and charity structure suggest close ties to Birmingham City Council's education services
• Reporting Delays: The charity's reporting is currently overdue to the Charity Commission, which may indicate operational challenges or transitions

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Henry James Sayer Charity
• George Fentham Birmingham Charity
• THE LORD AUSTIN TRUST
• John Horniman's Children's Trust
• The Grimmitt Trust
• The Saintbury Trust
• The Roughley Charitable Trust
• THE ROGER & DOUGLAS TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE EVESON TRUST
• Southover Manor General Educational Trust Limited

References

1. UK Charity Commission Register of Charities - Clara Martineau Charity (1040051). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?subid=0&regid=1040051 []

1. “Clara Martineau – a life devoted to education.” Education Is Special. Available at: https://educationisspecial.co.uk/clara-martineau-a-life-devoted-to-education/ []

1. “The History of Special Education in Birmingham.” Education Is Special. Available at: https://educationisspecial.co.uk/the-history-of-special-education-in-birmingham/ []

1. Historical information about Martineau Seaside School, Bognor Regis (1955-1987) from Sussex Express and Bognor Regis Post archives

1. Contact information provided: jackie.crowley@birmingham.gov.uk, Phone: 0121 464 3928