Mayfair Charities Limited

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £3,890,000 (charitable activities expenditure, 2024)
• Total Income: £5,752,000 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: UK and international (Orthodox Jewish communities in Australia, Belgium, England, France, Israel, Lithuania, USA)

Contact Details

Registered Address: Freshwater House, 158-162 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8HR

Phone: 020 7836 1555

Email: Not publicly available

Charity Number: 255281

Company Number: 00927985

Note: This charity does not appear to have a public website or published application guidelines. Contact may need to be made directly via phone.

Overview

Established in 1968 by Benzion Freshwater and his brother Solomon (Shalom) Israel Freshwater, MAYFAIR CHARITIES LIMITED is a private charitable company focused on supporting Orthodox Jewish organizations worldwide. The charity operates as an investment-based grant-maker, deriving income from property investments, listed investments, and subsidiary companies. With total income of £5.75 million and charitable expenditure of £3.89 million in 2024, Mayfair Charities supports organizations engaged in education, promotion of religious observance within Orthodox Judaism, and poverty relief. The charity was subject to a Charity Commission statutory inquiry in 2012 regarding governance and financial transparency, resulting in recommendations for improved independence in trustee appointments. Between 2009-2016, the charity did not publicly disclose grant recipients except in related party transactions, suggesting a network-based approach to grant distribution.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

No specific grant programs or tiers are publicly advertised. The charity operates through its general charitable objects with no published application deadlines or funding rounds.

Application Method: Not publicly disclosed - likely operates through community networks and relationships rather than open application process.

Priority Areas

What They Fund:

• Orthodox Jewish Education: Support for educational institutions and programs aligned with Orthodox Jewish teachings
• Religious Observance: Organizations promoting religious observance within the tenets of Orthodox Judaism
• Poverty Relief: Support for poverty alleviation within Orthodox Jewish communities
• International Reach: Operations in Australia, Belgium, England, France, Israel, Lithuania, and USA

What They Don't Fund

Based on the charity's specific objects:

• Non-Jewish organizations
• Organizations not aligned with Orthodox Jewish religious tenets
• General secular education without religious component
• Projects outside the scope of education, religious observance, or poverty relief

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

As of recent filings, the charity has 4 trustees:

• Benzion Shalom Eliezer Freshwater - Co-founder and trustee. British billionaire property investor (estimated net worth £2.054 billion in 2020) and Executive Director of Daejan Holdings plc, one of London's largest private landlords.

• Solomon (Shlomo) Israel Freshwater - Co-founder and trustee. Brother of Benzion, also an Executive Director of Daejan Holdings.

• Richard Fischer - Trustee

• D. Davis - Trustee (noted in 2012 Charity Commission report)

Governance Note: Following a 2012 Charity Commission investigation, the charity was instructed to appoint at least one fully independent trustee to improve governance. No trustees receive remuneration or benefits from the charity.

Related Entities

One or more trustees serve as directors of subsidiary organizations that generate income for the charity's grant-making activities.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

No public application process is advertised. The charity does not appear to accept unsolicited applications through standard channels.

Based on the historical practice of not disclosing grant recipients and the charity's focus on Orthodox Jewish communities, grant distribution likely occurs through:

• Existing community relationships and networks
• Direct identification of beneficiary organizations by trustees
• Personal knowledge of Orthodox Jewish institutions
• Possible invitation-only process

For potential applicants: Direct contact via the registered phone number (020 7836 1555) may be the only avenue to explore funding possibilities.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

Application numbers and success rates are not publicly available. The charity's selective disclosure practices suggest a limited and targeted grant-making approach.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information, the following factors appear important:

Essential Alignment:

• Organizations must operate within Orthodox Jewish communities
• Clear alignment with Orthodox Jewish religious tenets is critical
• Focus on education, religious observance, or poverty relief
• Established track record within Jewish communal structures

Relationship-Based Funding:

• The charity's historical lack of public grant recipient disclosure suggests relationship-based distribution
• Connection to Orthodox Jewish community networks likely essential
• Trustees' deep involvement in Orthodox Jewish philanthropy suggests personal knowledge of recipient organizations

Geographic Considerations:

• While UK-based, the charity supports organizations internationally
• Demonstrated operations in Australia, Belgium, England, France, Israel, Lithuania, and USA

Financial Sustainability:

• The charity generates significant income from property and investment holdings
• Trustees are financially sophisticated property investors
• Organizations demonstrating responsible financial management may be favored

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Highly Specialized Focus: This funder exclusively supports Orthodox Jewish organizations - only apply if your organization clearly meets this criterion
• No Public Application Process: Without published guidelines or application forms, securing funding likely requires community connections and direct trustee relationships
• Network-Based Distribution: Historical non-disclosure of recipients suggests grants distributed through established Orthodox Jewish community networks
• Significant Financial Capacity: With nearly £6 million in annual expenditure, the charity has substantial grant-making capacity
• Direct Contact Necessary: Organizations should contact the charity directly via phone (020 7836 1555) to explore funding possibilities
• Long Operational History: Established for over 55 years with consistent mission, suggesting stable long-term funding for aligned organizations
• Trustee Involvement: Led by prominent figures in Orthodox Jewish philanthropy and property investment, suggesting hands-on grant-making approach

References

• UK Charity Commission Register, “MAYFAIR CHARITIES LIMITED - 255281,” https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=255281&subid=0

• Companies House, “MAYFAIR CHARITIES LIMITED overview,” https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00927985

• NGO Explorer, “Mayfair Charities Limited,” https://ngoexplorer.org/charity/255281

• Third Sector, "Charity Commission tells Jewish charity to appoint at least one 'fully independent' trustee," https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charity-commission-tells-jewish-charity-appoint-least-one-fully-independent-trustee/governance/article/1224872

• Wikipedia, “Benzion Freshwater,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzion_Freshwater

• Powerbase, “Mayfair Charities Limited,” https://powerbase.info/index.php/Mayfair_Charities_Limited

• FoundMessiah, “The Goodness of Benzion Freshwater,” https://foundmessiahdotcom.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/the-goodness-of-benzion-freshwater/