Inner London Magistrates Court Poor Box

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: £186,371 (year ending 31 March 2024)
• Annual Expenditure: £196,852 (year ending 31 March 2024)
• Registered Charity Number: 1046214
• Geographic Focus: Throughout London
• Grant Types: Individual relief grants (£40-£75) and organisational grants (amount varies)
• Application Method: No public application process for organisations; individuals through probation officers/social workers only

Contact Details

Registered Address: City of Westminster Court, 7th Floor, 65 Romney Street, London, SW1P 3RD

(Note: Some sources indicate the administrative location may be at Ealing Magistrates' Court, 448 High Road, London NW10 2DZ)

Email: ilmcpbf@btinternet.com

Phone: 07901822125

Overview

The Inner London Magistrates Court Poor Box is a unique grant-making charity established within the court system, registered on 4 May 1995. The charity operates through the traditional “poor box” mechanism, where funds are collected from court-ordered donations made by offenders as an alternative to stricter penalties or as a demonstration of remorse. The charity has dual purposes: providing direct relief to individuals involved in court proceedings who are experiencing hardship, and supporting charitable organisations working with vulnerable populations in London. With an annual expenditure of nearly £200,000, the charity operates under trustee discretion, making grants to both individuals (typically £40-£75 for essential subsistence) and to established charitable organisations. The charity is governed by six trustees and operates without paid staff, ensuring all funds go directly to beneficiaries and partner organisations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Relief Grants

• Amount: Up to £75 per person (average £40)
• Purpose: Essential subsistence for people involved in court proceedings experiencing hardship
• Application: Through probation officers or social workers only
• Timing: Rolling basis, as needs arise

Organisational Grants

• Amount: Varies (not publicly disclosed)
• Purpose: Support for charitable organisations working with vulnerable populations
• Application: No public application process - trustee discretion only
• Timing: Ongoing, at trustees' discretion

Priority Areas

Based on documented grant recipients, the charity supports organisations working in:

• Homelessness and housing crisis: Supporting organisations like 999 Club and Beam that help homeless individuals access services and employment
• Veterans' welfare: Supporting organisations like STOLL that work with veterans
• Criminal justice and rehabilitation: Organisations working with individuals who have or may come into contact with the court system
• Poverty relief: Direct support for individuals and organisations addressing financial hardship
• Youth services: Projects working with young people at risk or involved in the youth court system
• Victim support and social welfare: Services supporting those affected by crime or court proceedings

What They Fund

For organisations, the charity appears to favour:

• Established registered charities working in London
• Organisations with direct service delivery to vulnerable populations
• Projects that align with court-related social welfare objectives
• Organisations working with probation, youth services, mental health, drug misuse support, and victim services

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the charity's constitutional purposes suggest they would not fund:

• Organisations outside London
• Projects unrelated to poverty relief or social welfare
• Capital projects or building works (focus appears to be on direct relief and services)
• Projects with no connection to individuals who may come into contact with the court system

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The charity is governed by six trustees:

• Paul Goldspring - Chair (appointed March 2021)
• Jane Smith JP - Trustee (appointed January 2023)
• Nina Tempia - Trustee (appointed March 2022)
• Tanweer Ikram - Trustee (appointed March 2017)
• Louise Moloney - Trustee (appointed March 2017)
• Richard Kozak - Trustee (appointed December 2010)

All trustees serve without remuneration, and none receive payments or benefits from the charity. The inclusion of a Justice of the Peace (JP) among the trustees reflects the charity's close connection to the magistrates' court system.

How to Apply to Inner London Magistrates Court Poor Box

How to Apply

For Individuals:

Individuals cannot apply directly to this charity. Applications must be made through a probation officer or social worker on behalf of someone who has appeared before the Inner London Magistrates Courts (including the Inner London Family Proceedings Court and Youth Courts). The probation officer or social worker should contact ILMCPBF at Ealing Magistrates Court to submit an application.

For Organisations:

This charity does not have a public application process for charitable organisations. Grant decisions are made at the trustees' discretion based on their knowledge of the charitable sector and organisations working with their target beneficiary groups.

The charity operates through the traditional “poor box” system, where magistrates direct offenders to make donations as an alternative to prosecution or as part of their sentence. These collected funds are then distributed by the trustees to individuals in immediate need and to charitable organisations aligned with their objectives.

Application Success Factors

Since there is no public application process for organisations, traditional success factors do not apply. However, based on the charity's documented grant recipients, organisations most likely to receive support share these characteristics:

Alignment with Court-Related Social Welfare

Organisations working with populations that may come into contact with the magistrates' courts system appear to be preferred. This includes services for people experiencing homelessness, those with substance misuse issues, young people at risk, victims of crime, and individuals requiring rehabilitation or resettlement support.

Geographic Focus on London

All documented beneficiary organisations operate within London, reflecting the charity's constitutional focus on supporting people involved in Inner London Magistrates' Courts and the broader London community.

Direct Service Delivery

The charity appears to favour organisations that provide direct services to vulnerable individuals rather than those focused solely on advocacy, research, or policy work. Funded organisations include those offering housing support, employment programmes, community services, and direct welfare assistance.

Established Charitable Status

All identified beneficiary organisations are registered charities with established track records of working with vulnerable populations. This suggests the trustees prefer supporting proven organisations rather than newer or informal groups.

Connection to Criminal Justice System

Organisations working at the intersection of criminal justice and social welfare - such as those supporting rehabilitation, resettlement, or working with individuals transitioning from court involvement - appear well-aligned with the charity's origins and purposes.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application mechanism exists - Organisations cannot submit grant applications through a formal process. The charity operates entirely through trustee discretion.

• Building awareness through sector networks - Since direct applications aren't possible, ensuring your organisation is known within London's social welfare and criminal justice sectors may increase visibility to the trustees.

• Dual-purpose charity - While primarily focused on individual relief grants to people involved in court proceedings (small amounts of £40-£75), the charity does make larger grants to organisations supporting similar beneficiaries.

• Small but active charity - With annual expenditure of nearly £200,000 and no staff costs, all funds go directly to beneficiaries and partner organisations, making this an efficient grant-maker despite its modest size.

• London focus is essential - The charity's constitutional purposes centre on Inner London Magistrates' Courts and supporting people throughout London, so geographic alignment is crucial.

• Consider alternative magistrates' court poor box funds - Similar poor box charities exist at other magistrates' courts across the UK, each with their own trustees and geographic focus areas.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Trust For London
• Streets Of London
• The Story Of Christmas
• London Housing Foundation Ltd
• North London Welfare And Educational Foundation
• A Z H R Charitable Trust
• Axis Foundation
• The Sheriffs' And Recorders' Fund
• The Shaftesbury Homes And Arethusa (syp Trust)
• The Timothy Franey Charitable Foundation

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: Inner London Magistrates Court Poor Box, Charity No. 1046214. Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1046214

• 999 Club: Our Donors. Available at: https://999club.org/fundraising/our-donors/

• STOLL: Partners. Available at: https://www.stoll.org.uk/about/partners/

• Hardman Trust Directory: Inner London Magistrates Court - Poor Box Fund. Available at: https://directory.hardmantrust.org.uk/single.php?id=3434

• Beam: Inner London Magistrates' Court Poor Box Charity & Feeder's Impact. Available at: https://beam.org/iinnerl

• Law Reform Commission (Ireland): The Court Poor Box (Consultation Paper). Available at: https://www.lawreform.ie/_fileupload/consultation%20papers/cp31.htm