Guiding Light Foundation

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 1183421
• Annual Income: £81,465 (year ending 31 March 2024)
• Annual Expenditure: £105,723
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Process: Trustee discretion
• Geographic Focus: England, Wales, and Nepal
• Application Process: No public application process

Contact Details

Registered Address: Westbrook Court, 2 Sharrow Vale Road, Sheffield S11 8YZ

Email: alison@ralstonconsultancy.co.uk

Phone: 07903255748

Charity Commission: View charity record

Related Organisation: YesTax (founding and funding partner)

Overview

Founded in 2018 by Alison Ralston and Sheffield-based tax consultancy YesTax, the Guiding Light Foundation is a small but impactful grant-making charity registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the UK Charity Commission (number 1183421). The foundation operates as part of YesTax's “business for good” model, with the company donating 2.5% of its turnover (approximately £30,000 annually) and covering all the foundation's running costs, ensuring 100% of donations reach beneficiaries.

The foundation's mission is to advance charitable purposes as trustees see fit, with particular focus on advancing the welfare of young people in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage. The charity primarily makes grants to organisations supporting vulnerable children, with significant focus on preventing and addressing child sexual abuse in Nepal, as well as supporting UK charities working with women, children, and cancer patients. The foundation is run entirely by volunteers, with 5 trustees and 8 additional volunteers contributing their time.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Guiding Light Foundation does not operate structured grant programs with fixed application cycles. Instead, grants are awarded through trustee discretion. Known funding streams include:

International Programs

• Primary support to Antardristi (Nepal) for operating safe houses for child victims of sexual abuse
• Funding covers counseling, rehabilitation, education, job skills training, and ongoing support
• Aims to support expansion of Antardristi's work including a second safe house in Kathmandu

UK Programs

• Support for Affinity (helping women and children fleeing abusive situations)
• Support for Cavendish Cancer Care (cancer support services in South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire)
• Support for Sheffield Children's Hospital (YesTax serves as "Children's Champions")

Hardship Fund

• Small grants to vulnerable children through recognized social organizations
• Delivered via housing associations, social services, and charities
• Covers household equipment, clothing, food, and other necessities

Priority Areas

• Child Protection: Particularly addressing child sexual abuse and providing safe accommodation
• Survivors of Abuse: Supporting women and children fleeing domestic violence
• Health and Wellbeing: Cancer care support services
• Children's Healthcare: Supporting children's hospital services
• Emergency Support: Hardship relief for vulnerable children and families

What They Don't Fund

While the foundation's charitable objects are broad (“charitable purposes as the Trustees see fit”), their documented funding pattern focuses on:

• Child welfare and protection
• Survivors of abuse
• Healthcare, particularly cancer care and children's health

There is no public information about exclusions, but the foundation appears focused on vulnerable children and young people rather than other charitable areas.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Alison Ralston (Chair, appointed 15 May 2019)

• Founder of the Guiding Light Foundation alongside YesTax
• Principal of Ralston Consultancy
• Active in the foundation's work, personally visited Nepal to see projects firsthand

Mark Richard John Wood (Trustee, appointed 22 June 2022)

• FCCA, Director at YesTax
• Represents YesTax in charitable initiatives

Melanie Jayne Cheshire (Trustee, appointed 22 June 2022)

• Involved with YesTax charitable activities

Joanne Elaine Liversidge (Trustee, appointed 15 May 2019)

• Also trustee of Charlie's Trust (charity 1125309)

Kate Cavan (Trustee, appointed 15 May 2019)

All trustees serve on a voluntary basis with no remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Relationship with YesTax

The foundation was created by YesTax, a Sheffield-based tax consultancy specializing in R&D tax relief and capital allowances. YesTax finances the entire running costs of the foundation and donates 2.5% of company turnover, allowing the foundation to operate as a zero-overhead charity where all funds go directly to beneficiaries.

According to Alison Ralston: “We say Yes to business as a force for good” and aim to “create a world where good things happen with every single business transaction.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Guiding Light Foundation operates through trustee discretion rather than open applications. Grants are awarded to organisations identified by the trustees, often through:

• The YesTax business network and client relationships
• Trustees' personal knowledge and connections in the charitable sector
• Direct relationships developed through previous charitable work
• Strategic partnerships identified by trustees

The foundation's charitable objects give trustees broad discretion to advance charitable purposes “as the Trustees see fit from time to time.”

Getting on Their Radar

While there is no application process, organisations working with vulnerable children and young people—particularly those addressing abuse, providing healthcare support, or offering emergency hardship relief—align with the foundation's documented funding interests.

The foundation's primary funding relationship with YesTax suggests that organisations in YesTax's network or geographic area (Sheffield and South Yorkshire) may have greater visibility to trustees. However, the foundation's major grant to Antardristi in Nepal demonstrates willingness to support international work where trustees identify significant impact.

The foundation emphasizes taking “an active role in the projects that they support, ensuring all funds go directly to those in need,” suggesting trustees prefer hands-on involvement and direct relationships with beneficiaries.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable due to lack of public application process. Grant decisions are made by trustees on an ongoing basis as opportunities are identified.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process.

Application Success Factors

As this foundation does not accept applications, the traditional concept of “application success factors” does not apply. However, understanding what attracts trustee support may be valuable:

Demonstrated Impact on Vulnerable Children: The foundation's major commitment to Antardristi demonstrates trustees' responsiveness to work with measurable impact on some of society's most vulnerable children. Binita's work in Nepal, addressing child sexual abuse with professional expertise (as a qualified child psychologist), clearly resonated with trustees' values.

Alignment with YesTax Values: The foundation describes itself as part of a “business for good” model. Organisations that can demonstrate how their work creates sustainable positive change in disadvantaged young people's lives align with this philosophy.

Direct Service Delivery: The charities known to receive support (Antardristi, Affinity, Cavendish Cancer Care, Sheffield Children's Hospital) all provide direct services to beneficiaries rather than advocacy, research, or indirect support.

Trustees' Personal Connection: Alison Ralston's personal visits to Nepal and the foundation's involvement with Sheffield-based charities suggest trustees value first-hand knowledge of the work they support.

Zero-Overhead Model: Because YesTax covers all foundation running costs, trustees can ensure 100% of grant funding reaches beneficiaries. This suggests trustees value efficiency and maximum impact per pound granted.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - this is a private grant-making trust operating through trustee discretion
• The foundation focuses primarily on vulnerable children and young people, particularly victims of abuse
• Geographic focus includes Sheffield/South Yorkshire and Nepal based on documented grants
• The foundation's relationship with YesTax is central to its funding model and may influence grant decisions
• Trustees appear to prefer direct service delivery organizations over advocacy or research
• The foundation takes an active, hands-on approach to relationships with funded organisations
• Long-term partnerships appear preferred (multi-year support to Antardristi, ongoing support to UK charities)
• While legally permitted to fund broad charitable purposes, actual grants focus narrowly on child welfare and related health services

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Goyal Foundation
• Byrne Family Foundation
• THE KENTOWN WIZARD FOUNDATION
• The Nagle Family Foundation
• The Alchemy Foundation
• The Breadsticks Foundation
• The Devchandbhai & Kankuben Foundation
• Jesbrow Foundation
• THE SUNRISE FOUNDATION CIO
• ENFIELD LIONS CLUB (CIO)

References

1. UK Charity Commission Register - Guiding Light Foundation (Charity 1183421): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5141325 (Accessed 28 January 2026)

1. YesTax - “A Spotlight on the Guiding Light” by Alison Ralston: https://yes.tax/news/spotlight-on-guiding-light (Accessed 28 January 2026)

1. YesTax - “Supporting Victims of Child Sexual Abuse in Nepal”: https://yes.tax/guiding-light (Accessed 28 January 2026)

1. YesTax - “Nepali Children Quarterly Report 2023”: https://yes.tax/news/nepali-children-quarterly-report-2023 (Accessed 28 January 2026)

1. YesTax - “Saving and Giving”: https://yes.tax/saving-and-giving (Accessed 28 January 2026)

1. Charity Choice Directory - Guiding Light Foundation: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/guiding-light-foundation-1183421 (Accessed 28 January 2026)

1. Companies House - Guiding Light Foundation (CE017504): https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/CE017504 (Accessed 28 January 2026)