Ladbrokes Coral Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £744,350 (2024)
• Total Income: £746,350 (2024)
• Geographic Focus: Communities where Ladbrokes Coral Group operates across the UK
• Grant Range: Variable (specific amounts not publicly disclosed)
• Application Method: Employee nomination only

Contact Details

Registered Address: 7th Floor, One Stratford Place, Westfield Stratford City, Montfichet Road, London, E20 1EJ

Charity Number: 1101804

Note: The Trust does not provide direct contact details for grant applications, as they do not accept applications from external organisations.

Overview

The Ladbrokes Coral Trust, established as a registered charity (1101804), operates as the corporate charitable foundation for Ladbrokes Coral Group Plc. Originally named Ladbrokes in the Community Charitable Trust (LICCT), the organisation changed its name in May 2017 to Ladbrokes Charitable Trust and later to Ladbrokes Coral Trust. With annual grant distribution of £744,350 (2024) and total income of £746,350 (2024), the Trust directs funding exclusively through employee nominations, with trustees meeting quarterly to consider grant requests from shop and supporting office colleagues. The Trust explicitly states: “We no longer accept applications from external registered charities.” The overriding requirement for all grants is that causes must serve communities where Ladbrokes Coral Group's shops and businesses operate across England and Wales.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates a single employee-nominated grant program with no fixed grant amounts publicly disclosed. Trustees meet quarterly to review nominations submitted by Ladbrokes employees from their local shops or head office.

Priority Areas

The Trust most commonly supports three main areas:

Healthcare (Majority of grant-making):

• Medical research and treatment
• Hospice services
• Support and treatment for physically challenged and impaired individuals
• Mental health services

Education:

• Research and support services for those with learning difficulties
• Specialist support in deprived areas
• Sports facilities for the physically challenged and impaired

Community:

• Projects for homeless individuals
• Support for aged populations
• Social activity projects for those at risk
• Animal welfare projects
• Environmental projects

Geographic Requirements

Grants are only awarded to causes operating and serving communities where Ladbrokes Betting and Gaming Ltd or Ladbrokes e-Gaming Ltd shops and businesses operate across the UK.

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not documented, the Trust does not fund:

• Applications from external registered charities (not nominated by employees)
• Causes outside the communities where Ladbrokes operates
• Organisations without a Ladbrokes employee nomination

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Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by unpaid volunteer trustees. Recent appointments include:

• Nigel Chamberlain - Appointed November 2024
• Olabisi Daramola - Appointed November 2024

Administrative Support:

• Rachael Edwards - Co-opted for administrative and communication services (formerly Chair of the board)
• Chris Knobbs - Co-opted for reporting and reconciliations

The Board members are all unpaid volunteers. There are no full-time employees of the Trust, with day-to-day operations managed by co-opted staff. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

How to Apply to Ladbrokes Coral Trust

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Ladbrokes Coral Trust explicitly states: “We no longer accept applications from external registered charities.”

All grant applications must be submitted through Ladbrokes employees. The process works as follows:

1. A registered charity must approach a local Ladbrokes Coral outlet
2. The charity asks if the shop will support a request for a grant from the Trust
3. The shop employee submits the application on behalf of the charity to the board of trustees
4. Trustees meet quarterly to review grant requests from shop and head office fundraisers

This is an employee-nominated, invitation-only grant-making process.

Getting on Their Radar

To access funding from the Ladbrokes Coral Trust, organisations need to build relationships with local Ladbrokes shops and employees:

Specific Approach for THIS Funder:

• Contact local Ladbrokes outlets: Visit or contact Ladbrokes betting shops in your community, particularly those near where your organisation operates
• Present your case to shop staff: Explain your work and how it serves the local community where the shop operates
• Request employee nomination: Ask if the shop manager or staff will nominate your organisation to the Trust
• Leverage existing connections: If your organisation has volunteers or supporters who work at Ladbrokes, they may be able to submit a nomination on your behalf
• Focus on community impact: Emphasise how your work directly benefits the community where the specific Ladbrokes outlet operates, as this is the Trust's overriding requirement

Decision Timeline

Trustees meet quarterly to consider grant requests. Specific decision timelines from nomination to award are not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. The Trust awarded £744,350 in grants in 2024 (compared to £682,823 in 2023 and £331,853 in 2022), indicating significant year-on-year growth in grant distribution.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is documented. Since applications are employee-nominated, unsuccessful nominations could potentially be resubmitted through the same or different Ladbrokes outlets.

Application Success Factors

Since this Trust only accepts employee-nominated grants, success depends on:

Strong Local Community Connection:

The Trust's overriding requirement is that causes must “serve the community in which the shops and businesses of Ladbrokes Coral Group Plc operate.” Organisations must demonstrate clear community benefit in the specific area where the nominating Ladbrokes outlet is located.

Alignment with Priority Areas:

Healthcare causes receive the majority of the Trust's funding, followed by education and community projects. Organisations working in these areas, particularly those supporting:

• People with disabilities or physical challenges
• Mental health services
• Learning difficulties
• Homeless or aged populations
• Social activity for at-risk individuals

Effective Employee Relationship:

Since external organisations cannot apply directly, success hinges on convincing a Ladbrokes employee to nominate your cause. This requires:

• Clear communication of your mission and impact
• Demonstrable community benefit
• Professional approach to local shop staff
• Building genuine relationships rather than one-off requests

Registered Charity Status:

While the Trust works with employee fundraisers, references to “registered charities” suggest that charitable registration may strengthen applications, though this is not explicitly stated as a requirement.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: External organisations cannot apply directly - you must secure an employee nomination from a Ladbrokes outlet
• Local is key: The Trust only funds causes serving communities where Ladbrokes operates, so focus on outlets near your organisation
• Healthcare dominates: The majority of grants go to healthcare causes, particularly those supporting people with disabilities, hospice care, and mental health
• Growing fund: Annual giving has grown significantly from £331,853 (2022) to £682,823 (2023) to £744,350 (2024), suggesting increased capacity
• Build relationships strategically: Identify Ladbrokes shops in your operational area and develop genuine relationships with staff who could nominate you
• Quarterly decisions: With trustees meeting four times per year, there are regular opportunities for nominations to be considered
• Employee-centric model: This is fundamentally an employee giving programme, so frame your pitch around how local Ladbrokes staff can support their community through the Trust

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• D C R Allen Charitable Trust
• The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust
• The Adint Charitable Trust
• The B G S Cayzer Charitable Trust
• The Mary Kinross Charitable Trust
• The Portrack Charitable Trust
• Peter Samuel Charitable Trust
• The Basil Samuel Charitable Trust
• The Thompson Family Charitable Trust
• Ross Russell Trust

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, “LADBROKES CORAL TRUST - 1101804”, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/4005610
• Charity Commission, “Ladbrokes Coral Trust Annual Report and Unaudited Financial Statements”, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_state=maximised&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=/accounts-resource
• Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum, “The Ladbrokes Coral Trust”, https://cornwallvsf.org/supporting/funding/the-ladbrokes-coral-trust/
• Bath and North East Somerset Council, “The Ladbrokes Coral Trust”, https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/funding-finder/ladbrokes-coral-trust