Dan's Trust

Charity Number: 1180080

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M
Geographic Focus: Throughout England

Stay updated on changes from Dan's Trust and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £103,672 (2022)
  • Grant Range: Up to £1,000
  • Geographic Focus: East Lancashire
  • Charity Number: 1180080

Contact Details

Address: 1 Silver Birches Close, Richmond, Surrey TW10 6NX

Phone: 020 7456 5303

Email: info@danstrust.org

Website: www.danstrust.org / danstrust.org.uk

Overview

Dan's Trust was established in 2012 following the sudden death of Daniel Bagshaw, a 27-year-old lawyer and cycling enthusiast from Clitheroe, who died from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) while competing in a triathlon in Hong Kong. Registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) - Foundation in 2018 (charity number 1180080), the trust took over the assets and activities of the unincorporated Daniel Bagshaw Memorial Trust (1149893). With total expenditure of £103,672 in 2022 and 9 trustees, Dan's Trust operates with a dual mission: supporting talented young people in East Lancashire to achieve their potential, and funding vital medical research into SADS and cardiac conditions affecting young people. The charity is committed to ensuring “every penny” raised goes directly to developing local talent or funding scientific research, with no administrative overhead deducted from donations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Make a Difference Awards: Up to £1,000

Support for talented teenagers in East Lancashire across sports, dance, theatre, and other performance areas. Funding can cover uniforms, costumes, training, travel, or equipment. The trust works with clubs, schools, and local teams to identify talented teens who need financial support.

Academic Awards: Up to £1,000

In partnership with Zero Gravity, New College Oxford, and Sheffield University Law School, these awards support high-potential students from low-income backgrounds in East Lancashire. The programme gives disadvantaged students the chance to experience university education and advance their academic goals.

SADS Research Grants: £50,000+

Major grants to institutions conducting research into early diagnosis of cardiac risk in young people and improved treatment for sudden cardiac arrest. Past recipients include Imperial College London (£50,000).

Defibrillator Installation Programme: Variable amounts

Funding to install life-saving defibrillators in schools and community facilities.

Priority Areas

  • Education and training for school pupils in Lancashire
  • Advancement of health and saving of lives
  • Prevention or relief of poverty
  • Amateur sport development
  • Children and young people with talent requiring financial support
  • People with disabilities
  • Cardiac research, specifically SADS and sudden death prevention in young people

What They Don't Fund

Based on their charitable objects and focus, Dan's Trust does not fund:

  • Individuals or organisations outside East Lancashire (for talent awards)
  • Retrospective costs
  • General operating costs for organisations
  • Projects unrelated to young people's development or cardiac health research
Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for Dan's Trust?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Dan's Trust is governed by a board of 9 trustees, primarily family members of Daniel Bagshaw who remain committed to his legacy of “Making a Difference” to young people in Lancashire.

Key Trustees:

Ian Bagshaw - Chair

Devotes significant time to chairing the board of trustees and leading the strategic direction of Dan's Trust.

Gary Bagshaw - Trustee

Family member committed to continuing Daniel's legacy.

Liz Bagshaw - Trustee

Passionate about equality of access to opportunities. As stated on the charity's website: "Liz appreciates that access to opportunities and the chances for talent to shine is not always equal. The important work that the 'make a difference' awards can support in advancing leadership, creating role models for local talent and instilling confidence and enabling access to different and greater opportunities is primarily why Liz is a trustee."

Daniel Bamford - Trustee

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Dan's Trust accepts applications through their website at danstrust.org.uk. The charity works proactively with clubs, schools, and local teams in East Lancashire to identify talented young people who would benefit from support.

Application Method: Online application via website

Basis: Rolling applications

Pre-application: The trust works collaboratively with applicants to determine the most effective use of funding, whether for uniforms, costumes, training, travel, or other specific needs.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented. Applicants are advised to contact the trust directly for current processing times.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. The charity distributed £103,672 in grants during 2022, down from total income of £51,259, suggesting they drew on reserves to meet demand.

Reapplication Policy

Information on reapplication policies is not publicly available. Contact the trust directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Geographic Requirement: Applicants for Make a Difference Awards and Academic Awards must be based in East Lancashire. This is a fundamental eligibility criterion.

Demonstrate Talent and Potential: The charity seeks young people with genuine talent who need financial support to progress. Whether in sport, dance, theatre, or academics, applicants should clearly articulate their achievements to date and future goals.

Low-Income Background for Academic Awards: Academic Award applicants must demonstrate financial need. The partnership with Zero Gravity, New College Oxford, and Sheffield University Law School specifically targets “high potential talent from low income backgrounds.”

Specific Funding Need: Applications should clearly identify what the funding will be used for (uniform, travel, training, equipment) and how this will enable the applicant to “take their talent to the next stage.”

Alignment with Daniel's Legacy: The trust was founded to continue Daniel Bagshaw's commitment to “Making a Difference.” Applications that demonstrate how funding will create meaningful impact and opportunity align well with this mission.

Community Connection: The trust works through schools, clubs, and local teams. Applications that come through or with support from these organizations may have an advantage.

Recent Award Example: Alana Hulme, a 15-year-old Thai Boxing champion from Oswaldtwistle, received £1,000 to compete in the Unified World Championship in Italy, demonstrating the type of high-level competitive opportunity the trust supports.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • East Lancashire only: Geographic restriction is firm for talent and academic awards; only young people from East Lancashire are eligible
  • Up to £1,000 maximum: All individual grants are capped at this amount, so budget requests accordingly
  • Work with intermediaries: The trust partners with schools, clubs, and teams - applications supported by these organizations may be strengthened
  • Dual mission: Remember the charity also funds major cardiac research; individual talent awards sit alongside this larger medical research agenda
  • 100% distribution model: The charity prides itself on giving “every penny” to beneficiaries with no administrative overhead, reflecting strong value-for-money ethos
  • Rolling applications: No fixed deadlines means you can apply when needed, but also means competition is ongoing
  • Specific use of funds: Be clear about exactly what the money will pay for and how it will enable progression

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References