Gamlen Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 327977

Annual Expenditure: £0.0M

Geographic Focus: Oxfordshire

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Quick Stats

Annual Giving: £44,710 (FY 2023-24)
Total Income: £609,147 (FY 2023-24)
Success Rate: Not publicly available
Decision Time: Not publicly specified
Grant Range: Not publicly specified
Geographic Focus: United Kingdom
Charity Number: 327977

Contact Details

Email: darran.fawcett@irwinmitchell.com

Phone: 01243 786111

Address: Thomas Eggar House, Friary Lane, Chichester, PO19 1UF

Administrative Contact: Darran Fawcett, Trust Manager at Irwin Mitchell LLP, Chichester office. Darran Fawcett has over 20 years of experience in the Trust and Estates field and provides trustees, executors, and beneficiaries with accounting, taxation, and administrative support.

Overview

The Gamlen Charitable Trust was registered as a charity on November 8, 1988, operating under a trust deed dated October 18, 1988, with subsequent amendments in 1992 and 2007. In the financial year ending April 5, 2024, the trust reported total income of £609,147 (primarily from investments) and made charitable grants totaling £44,710. The trust generates income from investments, which may have been donated as endowment or set aside from the charity's own resources, typically taking the form of stocks and shares. The trust is governed by three trustees and operates with a clear mission to advance legal education and relieve poverty, with a particular focus on supporting disadvantaged individuals to access legal education and promoting education through music and the arts for those who would not otherwise have such opportunities due to financial constraints.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates two main funding streams:

1. Legal Education Support

Scholarships, bursaries, and prizes for law students and trainee solicitors
Financial assistance for those in further education or training in the legal field
Example: The Rodney Stubblefield LLB Opportunity Scholarship at UCL Laws, which supports UK students from disadvantaged backgrounds studying Law at UCL

2. Poverty Relief and Education Advancement

Charitable purposes for the relief of poverty
Promotion of education through music and the arts
Specific focus on developing artistic and musical taste among persons who would not otherwise engage with the arts due to their financial status or background

Priority Areas

Legal Education: Financial assistance to law students and trainee solicitors in further education or training, including creation of scholarships, bursaries, and prizes
Access and Equality: Supporting individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to access higher education in law
Poverty Relief: General charitable purposes addressing poverty
Arts and Music Education: Promoting education through music and the arts, particularly for individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly detailed, but the trust's objects are tightly focused on:

Legal education support
Poverty relief
Arts and music education for disadvantaged individuals

Applications falling outside these areas are unlikely to be successful.

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Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by three trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust has no trading subsidiaries and no employees with benefits over £60,000.

Historical Trustee Information (as of 2019):

Mr Julian Chadwick
Rodney George Stubblefield (deceased 2018)
Paul Gerard Eaton

Legacy: The late Rodney Stubblefield, who studied at UCL and graduated in 1958, was a former trustee who passed away in 2018. The trust established the Rodney Stubblefield LLB Opportunity Scholarship at UCL Laws to maintain his legacy and promote his passion for social equality in the legal sector. This demonstrates the trust's long-term commitment to widening access to legal education.

Administration: The trust is professionally administered by Irwin Mitchell LLP, a major UK law firm, through their Chichester office. Darran Fawcett, a partner at Irwin Mitchell who was listed in the Spear's 2024 Tax & Trust Index, serves as the Trust Manager.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The trust does not appear to operate an open application portal or publish detailed application guidelines publicly. Given the trust's connection to Irwin Mitchell LLP and its focused charitable objects, it appears to make proactive grants rather than responding to general unsolicited applications.

Recommended Approach:

Contact Darran Fawcett directly via email (darran.fawcett@irwinmitchell.com) or phone (01243 786111) to inquire about current funding priorities and application procedures
Prepare a concise case for support that clearly demonstrates alignment with the trust's charitable objects (legal education or poverty relief through arts/music education)

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly specified. Applicants should inquire about expected timeframes when making initial contact.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented. Unsuccessful applicants should contact the trust administrator to inquire about reapplication opportunities.

Application Success Factors

Given the trust's focused charitable objects and the example of the Rodney Stubblefield scholarship, the following factors appear important:

Key Alignment Factors:

Social Equality Focus: The trust values initiatives that promote social equality, particularly in the legal sector. The Rodney Stubblefield scholarship specifically targets “social equality in the legal sector”
Disadvantaged Backgrounds: Strong emphasis on supporting individuals “from a disadvantaged background” or those who “would not otherwise engage with the arts due to their financial status or background”
Widening Access: The trust's partnership with UCL demonstrates commitment to widening access to higher education

Evidence of Impact:

Demonstrate how your proposal will directly support individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds
Show clear pathways for beneficiaries to access legal education or arts/music education
Provide evidence of financial need among your target beneficiaries

Strategic Partnerships:

The trust's collaboration with UCL (including match-funding) suggests openness to institutional partnerships
Universities and educational institutions with strong widening participation agendas may be well-positioned to approach the trust

Examples of Funded Work:

Rodney Stubblefield LLB Opportunity Scholarship at UCL Laws: Supports UK students in financial need from disadvantaged backgrounds studying full-time undergraduate Law programmes at UCL

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Highly Focused Mission: The trust has two very specific funding streams (legal education and poverty relief through arts/music education). Applications must align closely with these priorities
Proactive Grant-Making: The trust appears to make strategic grants rather than operating an open application process. Building a relationship with the trustees or administrator may be important
Professional Administration: The trust is administered by a major law firm (Irwin Mitchell), suggesting a professional and thorough approach to grant assessment
Social Equality Values: The trust demonstrates a strong commitment to social equality and widening access, particularly for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds
Partnership Approach: The match-funding arrangement with UCL suggests the trust may be interested in partnership models that leverage additional funding
Legacy-Driven: The memorial scholarship demonstrates that the trust values maintaining the legacy and values of its founders and former trustees
Make Direct Contact: Without published application guidelines, prospective applicants should contact Darran Fawcett directly to discuss funding opportunities and requirements