Hampton Fuel Allotment

Charity Number: 211756

Annual Expenditure: £2.7M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £2.7 million (individuals and organisations combined)
  • Success Rate: Not published
  • Decision Time: 6-8 weeks after quarterly meetings
  • Grant Range: £700 - £79,200 (community grants)
  • Geographic Focus: Hampton, Hampton Hill, Hampton Wick, Teddington, Twickenham, Whitton (London Borough of Richmond upon Thames)

Contact Details

Website: www.hamptonfund.co.uk

Email: info@hamptonfund.co.uk

Community Grants Manager: zenaid@hamptonfund.co.uk

Phone: 020 8941 7866

Address: 15 High Street, Hampton, Middlesex

Pre-application Support: Contact strongly recommended due to recent strategic review changing funding priorities

Overview

Hampton Fuel Allotment was established by Act of Parliament in 1811 during the reign of King George III to provide poor relief across the Parish of Hampton. Originally focused on fuel provision (coal, later transitioning to cash grants in 1976), the charity faced financial crisis in 1986 but was transformed through the sale of its land holdings to Sainsbury's for £21.6 million in 1989. Today, operating as Hampton Fund, it is a locally-focused endowed foundation managing a significant investment portfolio. The charity serves the ancient parish of Hampton and surrounding areas within the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. In their 2023-24 financial year, they distributed £2.7 million through approximately 2,121 fuel grants to individuals (£1.14 million) and 49 community grants to organisations (£1.43 million). The charity has recently completed a strategic review, repositioning itself as “a responsive, proactive Trust that actively engages with the community to understand its needs, and with local charities to understand gaps in support and to build capacity.” Their vision is “for an empowered, resilient and compassionate local community where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Grants: £700 - £79,200

Available for local charities, voluntary sector organisations, and community groups providing services that relieve hardship and create opportunities for vulnerable populations. Application deadlines fall 6-8 weeks before quarterly trustee meetings. Recent grants have ranged widely based on project scope.

Individual Grants: Approximately £538 per household annually

Fuel grants for gas and electricity bills, plus grants for essential household items (cookers, fridges, washing machines, beds), school uniforms, and residential school trips. Available to individuals on low income—one fuel grant per year with annual reapplication permitted.

Priority Areas

The Fund has recently completed a strategic review that changed funding priorities. Current focus includes:

  • Services and activities that relieve financial, physical, and emotional hardship
  • Support for vulnerable populations including homeless individuals, people with disabilities, and those experiencing poverty
  • Community organisations that provide direct services to residents experiencing hardship
  • Capacity building for local voluntary sector organisations
  • English language classes and integration support
  • Respite care and cancer support services
  • Citizens advice and advocacy services
  • Community centres and facilities improvements

Important: Applicants are strongly advised to contact the fund before applying to discuss current priorities.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions not published, but the fund's geographic restriction is strictly enforced—only residents and organisations serving Hampton, Hampton Hill, Hampton Wick, Teddington, Twickenham, and Whitton are eligible.

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Governance and Leadership

The charity is governed by 12 trustees who meet quarterly (March, June, September, December) to review applications and make funding decisions. No trustees receive remuneration.

Chair: Adele Kimber - Professional background in journalism and communications, trustee of children's disability charity, resident of Teddington for over 20 years

CEO: Richard Barron - Joined December 2024 from Buttle UK where he served as Director of Fundraising and Marketing

Other Trustees:

  • Richard Baker - Corporate banker with Barclays Group, former local Councillor, resident since 1976
  • Beth Cooper - Solicitor in Litigation and Dispute Resolution
  • Dr Martin Duffy - Investment advisor with mathematics doctorate from Oxford, founded Claremont hedge fund
  • Robert Ford - ACA qualified accountant, Commercial Executive in entertainment sector
  • Geraldine Locke - Background in adult learning and development, former local Councillor, school governor
  • Ben Lovell - Vicar of St Mary's Hampton (ex-officio trustee)
  • David Meggitt - Former PwC Finance Director, trustee of The Mulberry Centre
  • Ian Scott - Former Head of Investment Strategy at Pension Protection Fund (retired 2024)
  • Laurence Sewell - International development consultant, nominee of St James's Parish Church
  • Martin Seymour - Former Head of IT, past Mayor of London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
  • Sharika Sharma - Financial services professional, formerly with Citi Private Bank and CCLA

The charity operates with a small staff of five employees plus the 12-person trustee board. Three trustees are nominated by Parish Church Councils and three by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, reflecting the charity's historical roots.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Community Grants:

  1. Submit application 6-8 weeks before quarterly trustee meetings

Trustee Meeting Schedule: March, June, September, December (four times annually)

For Individual Grants: Online application form available at www.hamptonfund.co.uk or request postal application by calling 020 8941 7866. Proof of income and energy supplier documents required.

Decision Timeline

Applications are reviewed at quarterly trustee meetings. Application deadlines typically fall 6-8 weeks before each meeting. For example, grants approved at the June 2025 meeting would have had a deadline approximately 6-8 weeks prior. Individual fuel grants are typically processed and paid to energy suppliers approximately 4-6 weeks after application deadline and trustee approval.

Success Rates

Success rates are not published. Between July 2023 and December 2024, the fund awarded 53 community grants worth £2.05 million and 2,386 individual grants totaling £1.70 million. The fund publishes detailed information about all grants awarded through the 360Giving platform, demonstrating commitment to transparency.

Reapplication Policy

Individual Grants: One fuel grant per year permitted. Applicants can reapply annually if they continue to need support.

Community Grants: Reapplication policy not explicitly stated. Continuation funding applications use a different form requiring Monitoring & Evaluation Report, suggesting multi-year funding relationships are possible.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Alignment

The charity has recently repositioned itself following a strategic review. Demonstrating how your organisation addresses hardship and creates opportunities for vulnerable residents in the beneficiary area is critical. The fund describes itself as “responsive and proactive,” suggesting they value partnerships with organisations that share intelligence about community needs and service gaps.

Geographic Eligibility

Strict geographic boundaries apply. Your organisation must serve residents of Hampton, Hampton Hill, Hampton Wick, Teddington, Twickenham, or Whitton. Demonstrating clear impact within this specific catchment area is essential.

Evidence of Need and Impact

The fund's move toward being “evidence-based in their decision making” suggests applications should include clear data about need, outcomes achieved, and impact measurement. For continuation funding, the Monitoring & Evaluation Report is required, indicating the importance of demonstrating results.

Recent Funded Projects

Examples of organisations supported include:

  • SPEAR (homeless support services) - £45,000
  • Cancer support services - £45,000
  • LEAH (English language classes) - £15,600
  • ETNA community centre (improvements) - £10,400
  • Respite care organisations - £113,000 total
  • Citizens Advice - approximately £70,000
  • The Real Junk Food Project
  • Whitton Network
  • Integrated Neurological Services

These examples demonstrate the fund's interest in direct service provision to vulnerable populations, basic needs support, community infrastructure, and specialist services for disadvantaged groups.

Pre-Application Engagement

The fund strongly recommends contacting them before applying. This is particularly important given the recent strategic review. Using this opportunity to discuss alignment between your work and their new priorities will strengthen your application and avoid wasted effort on misaligned proposals.

Relationship Building

With a total staff of just five people plus 12 trustees, Hampton Fund operates on a relatively intimate scale. Building a relationship with the Community Grants Manager and demonstrating understanding of local needs will be valuable. Their commitment to transparency through 360Giving and their “proactive” approach suggests they value open dialogue with the sector.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Contact first: Given the recent strategic review, pre-application discussion with the grants manager is essential to understand current priorities
  • Geographic focus is absolute: Only organisations serving the specific areas of Hampton, Hampton Hill, Hampton Wick, Teddington, Twickenham, and Whitton should apply
  • Plan for the quarterly cycle: Applications must be submitted 6-8 weeks before trustee meetings in March, June, September, and December—build this into your fundraising timeline
  • Demonstrate local impact: With 200+ years serving this specific community, the fund values deep knowledge of local needs and clear evidence of impact within their catchment area
  • Grant sizes vary significantly: Community grants range from £700 to £79,200, so tailor your request to project need rather than aiming for a specific amount
  • Transparency matters: The fund publishes all grants through 360Giving, indicating they value accountability—be prepared to report on outcomes
  • Multi-year relationships are possible: Continuation funding applications exist, suggesting the fund is open to ongoing partnerships with effective organisations

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