E F And M G Hall Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 256453
• Annual Giving: £136,995 (2024)
• Annual Income: £147,557 (2024)
• Grant Range: £50 - £2,550
• Typical Grant: £100 - £500
• Geographic Focus: Kent and Surrey
• Application Process: Rolling basis

Contact Details

Registered Address:

Shovelstrode House

Shovelstrode Lane

East Grinstead

West Sussex RH19 3PN

Phone: 01342 321238

For Applications Contact:

Moira Hall, Trustee

Holmsley House

Holtye Common

Cowden

Edenbridge

Kent TN8 7ED

Phone: 01342 850 571

Email: shovelstrode@hotmail.com

Overview

The E F AND M G HALL CHARITABLE TRUST, formerly known as the Finden Hall Charitable Trust, was established on 23 July 1968 and is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 256453). The trust operates as a grant-making charity providing financial support to other charitable organizations at the discretion of the trustees. With an annual expenditure of approximately £137,000, the trust supports general charitable purposes with a focus on children, older people, people with disabilities, medical charities, and churches. In addition to grant-making, the trust owns three holiday cottages in Pevensey Bay, East Sussex, which provide subsidized holidays for senior citizens from the Edenbridge area. The trust maintains a lean operational structure with four trustees, none of whom receive remuneration, ensuring maximum funds are directed to charitable purposes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Programme

• Grant Range: £50 - £2,550
• Typical Awards: £100 - £500
• Application Method: Rolling basis - applications can be submitted at any time
• Annual Distribution: Approximately £137,000

Priority Areas

The trust supports organizations working in the following areas:

• Children and Young People: Projects and organizations supporting the welfare and development of children and young people
• Older People: Services and support for elderly individuals, including the trust's own holiday cottage provision in Pevensey Bay for senior citizens from the Edenbridge area
• Disability Support: Organizations working with people with disabilities
• Health and Medical: Medical charities and organizations focused on the advancement of health or saving lives
• Poverty Relief: Organizations preventing or relieving poverty
• Religious Organizations: Churches and faith-based organizations
• Armed Forces and Emergency Services: Supporting the efficiency of armed forces and emergency services
• Other Charitable Organizations: General support for voluntary bodies and charities

Geographic Focus

• Primary Areas: Kent and Surrey
• Additional Area: The trust is based in West Sussex (East Grinstead) and may consider applications from this area

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated in available sources, as a small grant-making trust operating at the discretion of trustees, the trust likely does not fund:

• Individuals (the trust makes grants to organizations)
• Very large capital projects (grant range indicates focus on smaller awards)
• Organizations outside their geographic areas of interest

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by four trustees who serve without remuneration or benefits. The trust operates with a transparent governance structure including:

• Conflicting interests policy
• Financial reserves policy
• Risk management policy
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy
• Trustee expenses policy

Known Trustee:

• Moira Hall, Trustee (contact for applications)

The trust maintains excellent compliance with Charity Commission requirements, with all annual returns, accounts, and trustees' annual reports filed on time for the last five financial periods.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted at any time on a rolling basis. The trust operates informally without a public online application portal.

Application Method:

Submit written applications by post or email to:

Moira Hall, Trustee

Holmsley House

Holtye Common

Cowden

Edenbridge

Kent TN8 7ED

Email: shovelstrode@hotmail.com

Phone: 01342 850 571

Alternatively, applications can be sent to the registered address:

Shovelstrode House, Shovelstrode Lane, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3PN

Phone: 01342 321238

Application Requirements:

While specific requirements are not published, applicants should include:

• Clear description of the organization and its charitable purposes
• Specific project or need for which funding is requested
• Amount requested (within the £50-£2,550 range)
• How the grant will benefit the target beneficiaries
• Confirmation that the organization operates in Kent or Surrey

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly stated. As grants are made at the discretion of trustees and applications are accepted on a rolling basis, decisions may be made at regular trustee meetings throughout the year.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. However, with annual grant expenditure of approximately £137,000 and typical grants of £100-£500, the trust likely makes between 270-1,370 grants per year, suggesting reasonable accessibility for suitable applicants.

Reapplication Policy

The trust's reapplication policy is not publicly stated. Given the rolling application process and discretionary nature of grant-making, organizations should contact the trustees directly if they wish to reapply after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

Based on the trust's stated purposes and operation:

Strong Alignment with Priority Groups: Applications supporting children, older people, people with disabilities, or churches in Kent and Surrey are most likely to succeed given these are the trust's stated priority areas.

Geographic Focus: Ensure your organization operates clearly within Kent or Surrey. The trust has defined geographic parameters, so demonstrating local impact in these counties is essential.

Appropriate Grant Size: Request amounts within the £50-£2,550 range, with £100-£500 being most typical. Applications for modest, well-defined needs appear to align best with the trust's grant-making pattern.

Clear Charitable Purpose: As the trust makes grants to other charities and voluntary bodies at trustee discretion, clearly demonstrate your organization's charitable status and how the grant will further charitable purposes.

Specific, Tangible Needs: With typical grants between £100-£500, applications for specific items, small projects, or defined activities are likely more successful than requests for general running costs.

Connection to Edenbridge Area: Given the trust's base in the Edenbridge area and its holiday cottage provision for local seniors, organizations working in or around Edenbridge may have particular resonance with the trustees.

Multiple Charitable Purposes: The trust supports diverse causes (health, poverty relief, disability, armed forces, emergency services). Applications that address multiple priority areas or serve diverse beneficiary groups may be particularly attractive.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Small grant specialist: This trust focuses on modest awards (£100-£500 typically), making it ideal for small organizations or specific items rather than major projects
• Rolling applications welcome: No deadline pressure - submit when ready and ensure geographic eligibility in Kent or Surrey
• Informal, relationship-based: Direct contact with trustee Moira Hall via email or phone; personal, clear communication likely valued
• Diverse charitable interests: Broad remit covering children, elderly, disability, medical, churches, and emergency services - many organizations will find alignment
• Trustee discretion is key: No rigid criteria or scoring system; trustees assess each application on merit, so clearly articulate impact and need
• Local connections matter: Based in East Grinstead/Edenbridge area with focus on Kent and Surrey; local knowledge and community connections may strengthen applications
• Efficient operation: No trustee remuneration and lean structure means high proportion of funds go to grants - trustees value good stewardship and clear charitable impact

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities - E F AND M G HALL CHARITABLE TRUST. Charity number 256453. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=256453
• Charity Commission - What, Who, How, Where section for charity 256453. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/256453/what-who-how-where
• Charity Commission - Accounts and Annual Returns for charity 256453. Financial year ending 05 April 2024. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/256453/accounts-and-annual-returns
• Giving is Great - E F AND M G HALL CHARITABLE TRUST Charity Factsheet. https://givingisgreat.org/charity-factsheet/?regNo=256453
• Find that Charity - GB-CHC-256453 E F and M G Hall Charitable Trust. https://findthatcharity.uk/orgid/GB-CHC-256453
• Funding for All - E F and M G Hall Charitable Trust. https://www.fundingforall.org.uk/funds/e-f-and-m-g-hall-charitable-trust/