Dan's Fund For Burns

Charity Number: 1098720

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ~£258,555 (2023/24 expenditure)
  • Total Raised Since Founding: £2.5 million
  • Grant Range: Case-by-case for individuals; up to £2,000 for research grants
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland)
  • Decision Time: Biannual trustee meetings (April/September for research; March/September for NHS grants)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.dansfundforburns.org
  • Email: info@dansfundforburns.org
  • Phone: 07526 847699
  • Address: 4 Dagden Road, Shalford, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8DD
  • Charity Number: 1098720

Overview

Dan's Fund for Burns was established in 2003 by Polly Brooks (Miller) MBE following the tragic 2002 Bali terrorist bombings, in which she lost her husband Dan and eight friends just five weeks after their wedding. As a survivor with 43% burns to her body, Polly identified a critical gap in aftercare and support for adult burn survivors in the UK and created the charity in Dan's memory.

Over two decades, Dan's Fund for Burns has raised £2.5 million and has become a cornerstone of burn survivor support in the UK. The charity was instrumental in pioneering psychological support services in NHS burns units and has donated significant medical equipment to burn centres nationwide. Founder Polly Brooks received an MBE in the 2020 Queen's New Year Honours List for her services to people with burn injuries.

The charity takes a holistic approach, providing not just financial assistance but emotional peer support, medical equipment funding, professional training, and research grants to improve outcomes for the UK's burn survivor community.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Survivor Grants

  • Assessed on a case-by-case basis
  • Covers transportation costs, furniture/appliance replacement after fires, medical equipment, and emergency financial needs
  • Direct contact required to discuss circumstances
  • Open to all adult burn survivors (16+), regardless of burn size

Research Funding Programme

  • Up to £2,000 per annum
  • Application deadlines: 1st April and 1st September
  • Submit via: info@dansfundforburns.org

NHS Hospital Burn Services Grants

  • For project funding (excluding research)
  • Application deadlines: 31st March and 30th September
  • Submit via online Grant Application Form

Travel Fellowship

  • Annual award for burns professionals
  • Contact charity for details

Priority Areas

  • Adult burn survivors (16+ years)
  • NHS burn services and burn centres
  • Medical equipment for burn treatment
  • Research into burn care and treatment
  • Professional training (skin camouflage, micro-needling)
  • Psychological support services
  • Peer support and befriending programmes

What They Don't Fund

  • Children's burns charities (this is specifically for adults 16+)
  • General medical charities without burn-specific focus
  • International projects (UK focus only)
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Governance and Leadership

Key Staff

Polly Brooks (Miller), MBE - Founder & Chief Executive Officer

  • Bali bombing survivor with 43% burns
  • Recipient of MBE (2020) for services to burn-injured people
  • Quote: “I knew I had to do something positive to make something good from what seemed to me to be a very senseless act of violence.”

Board of Trustees (8 members)

Emma Danks - Chair

  • London-based corporate lawyer
  • Friends with Dan since working in Hong Kong (2000)
  • Joined Board in 2009; Chair since February 2020

Greg Williams FRCS (Plast) - Deputy Chair & Medical Advisor

  • Former NHS Burns Consultant (9 years)
  • Clinical Director, London & South East England Burn Network (2008-2012)
  • Fellowship at Shriner's Burns Hospital for Children, Texas

Rosemary Derby - Trustee

  • Polly's mother
  • Coordinates Surrey Fundraising Group and 100+ Club

Alistair Strong - Trustee

  • Financial director; manages charity accounts since inception

Roger Masefield QC - Trustee

  • Dan's university friend and best man
  • Commercial law specialist

Jenny Dorricott - Trustee

  • Burn survivor (helicopter crash, 2017)
  • Development and infrastructure lawyer

Lisa MacLaren - Trustee

  • 20+ years talent acquisition experience
  • Friend of the charity since foundation

Paul Bentley - Trustee

  • Polly's husband; Wealth Director at RBC Brewin Dolphin
  • Joined 2022

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Individual Burn Survivors:

Contact the charity directly via email (info@dansfundforburns.org) or phone (07526 847699). Support is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Survivors can also be referred by NHS burn services.

For Research Funding Programme:

  • Submit requests to info@dansfundforburns.org
  • Deadlines: 1st April or 1st September
  • Maximum: £2,000 per annum
  • Reviewed by DFFB Trustees at biannual meetings

For NHS Hospital Burn Services:

  • Complete online Grant Application Form
  • Deadlines: 31st March or 30th September
  • For project funding only (not research)

Decision Timeline

  • Trustee meetings held biannually (April and September/October)
  • Research and NHS grants reviewed at these meetings
  • Individual survivor support may be assessed more rapidly for emergency needs

Success Rates

Not publicly available. Applications are considered by trustees on merit and need.

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated. Contact the charity for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Specific Guidance from Dan's Fund for Burns

  • Direct communication is key: The charity encourages burn survivors to “get in touch to tell them about your burns, your situation and what you require”
  • No burn too small: The charity explicitly states: "If you're an adult burn survivor – no matter the size of your burn, we're here to help"
  • Professional referrals welcomed: Survivors can be referred by NHS burn services or can contact directly
  • Research proposals: Must be submitted by set deadlines for trustee consideration

Types of Projects They Have Funded

  • Medical Equipment: Laser Doppler Machines, Meek Mesher machines, LPG massage machines (8 donated to major burn centres), 12 LymphaTouch devices, moorLDI2-BI Burn Imagers
  • NHS Infrastructure: iPads for all 19 UK burn services (2013)
  • Training: Skin camouflage training for NHS staff across multiple burn centres
  • Research: Clinical psychologist salary funding that led to nationwide NHS psychological support rollout (2006)
  • Individual Support: Transportation costs, furniture replacement after fires, emergency funding

What Makes Applications Stand Out

  • Clear demonstration of need related to burn injuries
  • Alignment with the charity's mission of supporting adult burn survivors
  • For NHS/research applications: clear project objectives and outcomes
  • For equipment requests: demonstrated benefit to burn survivor care

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Multiple funding streams available: Individual survivor grants, research grants (up to £2,000), NHS project grants, and professional travel fellowships
  2. Biannual application deadlines: Plan submissions around April and September/October trustee meetings
  3. Direct contact approach for individuals: No formal application form for individual survivor support – personal contact via email or phone is the pathway
  4. Founded by a survivor: The charity has deep understanding of burn survivor needs, founded and led by someone with lived experience
  5. Track record of equipment funding: Strong history of funding medical equipment for NHS burn services
  6. UK focus only: Funding is specifically for UK-based burn survivors and UK burn services
  7. Adult survivors only: 16+ age threshold; children's burn charities are outside scope

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References