Mjb Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,022,458 (year ending March 2025)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Up to £30,000
• Geographic Focus: UK (Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire) and international (Central Africa, Nigeria, Turkey, Colombia)

Contact Details

Address: 37 Waterford Lane, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 3PT

Phone: 01590 619028

Website: Not available

Email: Not available

Note: No website or email address is publicly available. Contact via telephone for grant enquiries.

Overview

The MJB Charitable Trust was registered with the Charity Commission on 12 January 1998 (charity number 1067378). With substantial unrestricted reserves of approximately £4.9 million, the trust provides grants and assistance primarily to vulnerable persons. The trust's broad charitable mandate allows trustees to support “exclusively charitable objects and purposes in any part of the world as the trustees may in their absolute discretion think fit.” The trust's recent financial year (ending March 2025) saw total income of £727,712 and charitable expenditure of £1,022,458. Historically, the trust has focused on supporting charities working with mental health issues, homelessness, and development work in Central Africa. The trust operates both domestically and internationally, with a particular emphasis on Central Africa while also supporting work in Nigeria, Turkey, and Colombia.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Grant Amount: Up to £30,000
• Application Method: Contact directly via telephone; no online application portal available
• Schedule: Not specified; appears to operate on a discretionary basis

Priority Areas

The trust has historically supported charities working in the following areas:

• Mental Health: Support for organisations providing mental health services
• Homelessness: Charities helping homeless populations
• Central Africa Development: Development work and humanitarian relief in Central African countries
• Vulnerable Persons: Broad support for organisations serving vulnerable populations
• Disability: Services for people with disabilities
• Education and Training: Educational programs
• Health and Saving Lives: Healthcare initiatives
• Poverty Relief: Anti-poverty programs
• Overseas Aid and Famine Relief: International humanitarian assistance
• Culture and Arts: Cultural and artistic projects

Geographic Focus

UK Regions: Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire

International: Central Africa (priority area), Nigeria, Turkey, Colombia

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly specified. Given the trust's broad mandate and trustee discretion, exclusions are not explicitly stated.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is governed by four trustees who serve without remuneration:

• Michael Jaffray De Hauteville Bell (Chair) - Appointed 1997
• Christine Mary Bell - Appointed 1997
• Dr E J Bell - Appointed 2006
• Rebecca Lucy De Hauteville Buller - Appointed 2024

All trustees serve on a voluntary basis with no remuneration, payments, or benefits received from the charity. The trust has no trading subsidiaries and no employees earning over £60,000.

Financial Position

As of the most recent reporting period, the trust holds substantial assets with unrestricted reserves of £4,988,316, equivalent to approximately 59 months of spending. This strong financial position indicates long-term sustainability and capacity for continued grant-making.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The MJB Charitable Trust operates without a formal website or publicly available application forms. Potential applicants should:

1. Contact by telephone: Call 01590 619028 to inquire about grant opportunities
2. Eligibility: Applicants must be UK registered charities
3. Initial approach: Direct contact via telephone appears to be the primary method

The trust operates on a discretionary basis, with trustees having “absolute discretion” in selecting charitable causes to support.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. Timelines would need to be confirmed when making initial contact with the trust.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies is not publicly available. Unsuccessful applicants should inquire about reapplication procedures when making initial contact.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited publicly available information about the trust's application process, the following factors can be inferred from the trust's history and structure:

Alignment with Historical Priorities

The trust has “mostly supported other charities which provide help to those with mental health issues, homelessness and work in Central Africa.” Organisations working in these three core areas appear to have the strongest alignment with the trust's giving history.

Serving Vulnerable Populations

The trust's charitable purpose explicitly states “the provision of grants and assistance, primarily to vulnerable persons.” Applications should clearly demonstrate how the project serves vulnerable populations.

UK Registered Charities Only

Only UK registered charities are eligible. Organisations must have valid Charity Commission registration.

Geographic Relevance

Projects in Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire, or international work in Central Africa, Nigeria, Turkey, or Colombia may have stronger alignment with the trust's operational focus.

Trustee Discretion

The trust operates with significant trustee discretion. Building a relationship through initial telephone contact may be important for understanding current priorities and fit.

Grant Examples

Limited information is available about specific grant recipients, though one example includes:

• Medair (2023): Approximately CHF 8,000 for humanitarian work

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Contact first: With no website or application forms, telephone contact (01590 619028) is essential to understand current priorities and application procedures
• Focus on core areas: Mental health, homelessness, and Central Africa development represent the trust's historical focus areas
• Emphasize vulnerable populations: Frame your application around serving vulnerable persons, as this is the trust's stated charitable purpose
• UK charity registration required: Ensure your organisation is properly registered with the Charity Commission before approaching
• Grants up to £30,000: Plan your funding request within this ceiling
• Strong financial position: The trust's substantial reserves (£4.9M) suggest capacity for ongoing grant-making
• Trustee discretion: Be prepared to make a compelling case, as trustees have broad discretion in grant decisions

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: MJB Charitable Trust (Charity Number 1067378). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1067378&subid=0 [Accessed: 2025]

• Hub Cymru Africa: MJB Charitable Trust funding opportunity. Available at: https://hubcymruafrica.wales/funding-opportunity/mjb-charitable-trust/ [Accessed: 2025]

• Scotland's International Development Alliance: MJB Charitable Trust. Available at: https://intdevalliance.scot/membership/funding-update/mjb-charitable-trust/ [Accessed: 2025]

• Giving is Great: MJB Charitable Trust Charity Factsheet (Charity Number 1067378). Available at: https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1067378 [Accessed: 2025]

• NGO Explorer: MJB Charitable Trust (Charity Number 1067378). Available at: https://ngoexplorer.org/charity/1067378 [Accessed: 2025]