H And M Castang Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1003867

Annual Expenditure: £0.1M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £137,575 (2023-24)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not specified (applications through partnership schemes)
  • Grant Range: Up to £60,000 for research projects
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (registered in England & Wales)
  • Charity Number: 1003867

Contact Details

Registered Address:

Level 5, 2 More London Riverside

London, SE1 2AP

Administrative Office:

Laytons LLP

Yarnwicke, 119-121 Cannon Street

London, EC4N 5AT

Email: info@castangfoundation.org.uk

Phone: 020 7842 8000

Contact: Ian Burman (Chair of Trustees) - ian.burman@laytons.com

Website: http://castangfoundation.org.uk

Overview

The H and M Castang Charitable Trust, operating as the Castang Foundation, was established in 1986 following a bequest by Miss Hilda Castang. After the death of her brother Max, who was born with cerebral palsy, Miss Hilda Castang was determined to provide funds for research into the causes of cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental disorders, leaving her entire estate to fund this research. The Foundation is registered in England and Wales (charity number 1003867) and has total assets reflected in an annual income of £81,756 and expenditure of £137,575 (year ending April 2024).

The Foundation focuses exclusively on funding research into childhood neurodisability, cerebral palsy, and other neurological conditions that cause disability. This includes both basic science research to understand the causes of disability, and research that focuses on the effectiveness of interventions to improve quality of life. The Foundation funds one to two new research projects annually, working primarily in partnership with established research funding organizations rather than accepting direct applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates through established partnership funding mechanisms rather than direct application processes:

BACD-Castang Award (Partnership with British Academy of Childhood Disability)

  • Amount: Up to £50,000-£60,000
  • Duration: 12-18 months
  • Purpose: Pilot and feasibility research to gather data leading to larger National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome Trust, or major charity-funded studies
  • Application: Through BACD application process (applicants must be or become BACD members)

BACD-Castang Fellowship Programme

  • Amount: Up to £1,000 per Fellow for travel, accommodation, subsistence, and BACD Annual Scientific Meeting entry
  • Two tracks: Pipeline Fellowship (for those seeking funded PhD/MD) and Advanced Fellowship (for research-experienced candidates)
  • Support includes: Interactive workshops, intensive grant sprint, peer support, and mentorship from national research leaders
  • Success record: Programme 1 Fellows secured >£3.2M in research funding; Programme 2 Fellows secured >£2.5M

NIHR-Castang Advanced Fellowship

  • Partnership: Co-funded with National Institute for Health Research Academy
  • Target: Postdoctoral level researchers developing neurodisability research careers
  • Note: Partnership availability varies by NIHR funding round

Priority Areas

The Foundation has a tightly defined focus on:

  • Cerebral palsy research (causes, treatments, interventions)
  • Childhood neurodisability (neurological conditions causing disability)
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Basic science research into disability causes
  • Intervention effectiveness research to improve quality of life
  • Research with potential to “make a real difference to the lives of children with neurodisability and their families within 3-5 years”

Recent funded areas include:

  • Placental research investigating free haemoglobin toxicity and therapeutic interventions for growth-restricted fetuses
  • Allied health professionals in schools and education (RAISE project)
  • Social participation to prevent mental health problems in children with neurodisability
  • Identification of children at highest risk for developing severe challenging behaviour
  • Drooling reduction interventions
  • Nutritional interventions for neonates at risk of neurological impairment
  • Autism gene research
  • Infantile spasms treatment comparison

What They Don't Fund

  • Research outside childhood neurodisability and related neurological conditions
  • Non-research activities (direct service provision, capital projects, general charitable purposes)
  • Applications outside their established partnership mechanisms
  • International research (UK-based research only)
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Governance and Leadership

The Foundation is led by a small group of four trustees with diverse professional backgrounds in law, accountancy, and paediatric neurology:

Ian Burman (Chair of Trustees)

Managing Partner of the London Office of Laytons LLP, Ian helped establish the Foundation over 20 years ago alongside fellow trustee Michael Glynn and settlor Hilda Castang. He is a leading authority in private client and charity law, former chair of the London Central Branch of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) from 2007 to 2011, and was a STEP committee member for 20 years.

Abigail Page (Treasurer)

Partner at Gibbons Mannington & Phipps LLP, Abigail is a Chartered Accountant (ACA) and Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA). She made partner at age 26 and provides technical advice on Income Tax, CGT, IHT and Corporate Tax as well as accounting services to individuals, trusts and businesses.

Dr. Paul Eunson

Consultant Paediatric Neurologist who worked at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. He served as Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at NHS Lothian from 2006-2020 and then as Consultant in Paediatric Neurology and Complex Neurodisability at NHS Tayside from 2020-2021. Dr. Eunson is recognized as an award-winning healthcare professional and brings crucial clinical expertise to the Foundation's grant-making decisions.

Michael Glynn

Retired Chartered Accountant who was in practice in East Sussex until his retirement. Michael has been a trustee of the Foundation since its inception and acted as its Treasurer until his retirement, providing continuity and institutional memory to the organization.

No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity, and the Foundation has no employees with benefits over £60,000.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Castang Foundation does not accept direct applications. Instead, the Foundation operates exclusively through established partnership funding mechanisms. According to their website: “We do not consider applications outside of the funding mechanisms outlined on this page.”

Researchers interested in Castang Foundation funding should:

  1. Apply through BACD-Castang Awards: Visit the British Academy of Childhood Disability website (www.bacdis.org.uk) to check for current funding rounds. At least one applicant must be a BACD member or become a member prior to the full application stage.
  1. Apply through BACD-Castang Fellowship Programme: Applications for Fellowship cohorts are announced periodically through BACD. The programme includes interactive workshops, grant writing sprints, and mentorship.
  1. Monitor NIHR Fellowship Rounds: Check NIHR Academy fellowship opportunities for potential Castang Foundation co-funded fellowships, though this partnership varies by funding round.
  1. Contact for Information: Email info@castangfoundation.org.uk for further information about upcoming funding opportunities.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines follow the partner organization's processes:

  • BACD award cycles are typically annual
  • NIHR fellowship rounds have published deadlines and decision schedules
  • Specific timelines are not published by the Foundation itself

Success Rates

The Foundation funds one to two new research projects each year through its partnership mechanisms. The BACD-Castang Fellowship Programme has demonstrated strong success rates:

  • Programme 1 Fellows secured over £3.2 million in subsequent research funding
  • Programme 2 Fellows secured over £2.5 million in subsequent research funding
  • Multiple fellows have been awarded NIHR Fellowships
  • Several fellows appointed to new NHS and clinical academic posts

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies follow the guidelines of the partner organization (BACD or NIHR). The Foundation itself does not specify restrictions on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Values

Research with Real-World Impact:

The Foundation explicitly seeks research “with the potential to make a real difference to the lives of children with neurodisability and their families within 3-5 years.” Applications should clearly articulate how the research will translate into tangible improvements in quality of life, treatment outcomes, or clinical practice.

Pilot Data Leading to Larger Studies:

The BACD-Castang Award is specifically designed to “gather pilot and feasibility data that leads to an application for a large definitive National Institute for Health Research, Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, or Charity funded study.” Successful applications demonstrate a clear pathway from the pilot project to a larger, more definitive research programme.

Multidisciplinary and Multi-Centre Collaboration:

According to BACD-Castang guidance, “Applications from multi-centre consortia are encouraged.” The Foundation values research teams that bring together different disciplines and institutions to address complex neurodisability questions.

Early Career Researcher Support:

“Applications that include support for early career clinical researchers are particularly welcomed.” The Foundation actively seeks to build research capacity in childhood neurodisability, and proposals that develop the next generation of researchers are viewed favourably.

Stakeholder Engagement:

“Applicants are encouraged to include stakeholders based in the NHS England, Education and Social Care settings in their team.” Research that involves those who will ultimately implement findings demonstrates practical relevance and increases likelihood of impact.

Added Value:

“Applications that include added value by way of resources from the applicant site” are particularly welcomed, showing institutional commitment and leveraging Foundation funding effectively.

Examples of Funded Research

Successful projects provide insight into the Foundation's priorities:

  • DRI Trial (Drooling Reduction Intervention) led by Professor Jeremy Parr at Newcastle University compared medications for drooling in children with neurodisability, finding that Glycopyrronium had fewer side effects - directly improving clinical practice
  • ICISS Project led by Professor John Osborne comparing treatments for infantile spasms recruited over 250 patients and published significant research articles
  • RAISE Project (Researching Allied health In Schools and Education) addressed practical delivery of interventions in educational settings
  • Placental research at University of Manchester investigating therapeutic interventions for growth-restricted fetuses, connecting fundamental science with potential clinical applications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Don't apply directly - The Foundation only funds through partnership mechanisms with BACD and NIHR. Direct applications will not be considered.
  • Join BACD if relevant - At least one team member must be a BACD member to access BACD-Castang funding, so factor in membership requirements early.
  • Focus tightly on childhood neurodisability - The Foundation has a very specific remit. Research must directly relate to cerebral palsy, neurodevelopmental disorders, or neurological conditions causing childhood disability.
  • Emphasize the pathway to impact - Clearly articulate how your pilot research will lead to larger studies and, ultimately, to real improvements in children's lives within 3-5 years.
  • Build multidisciplinary teams - Include clinical, academic, and practice stakeholders from NHS, education, and social care settings to strengthen applications.
  • Demonstrate career development - For fellowship applications, show how the funding will develop your capacity as a neurodisability research leader.
  • Show institutional commitment - Applications demonstrating added value through institutional resources or matched funding are particularly welcomed.

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