Red Hill Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Registered Charity Number: 307891
• Annual Income: £73,455 (year ending 31 August 2024)
• Annual Expenditure: £105,827 (year ending 31 August 2024)
• Grant Range: £2,000 - £7,000
• Decision Time: Approximately 1-2 months (decisions made in March and October)
• Geographic Focus: South-East England (Kent, East and West Sussex, Surrey, Southeast London)
• Application Deadlines: 1st February and 1st September

Contact Details

Email: clerk@redhilltrust.org

Address: The Clerk of the Red Hill Trustees, 3 Thurnham Oast, Aldington Lane, Thurnham, Kent ME14 3LL

Website: www.redhilltrust.org

Registered Office: Day Smith & Hunter, Globe House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, ME14 3EN

Overview

Founded by Otto Shaw in 1948, the Red Hill Charitable Trust was originally established to manage a school for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties at Charlton Court in East Sutton, Maidstone. The Trust takes its name from earlier premises in Chislehurst, Kent. While the school itself was taken over by Kent County Council in 1993 (and later closed in 2003), the Trust has evolved into a grant-making organisation that continues Otto Shaw's vision of supporting children and young people with emotional and behavioural challenges.

The Trust focuses exclusively on organisations supporting children and young people under 25 years old with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, often identified in their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP). With an annual income of approximately £73,000, the Trust makes strategic grants typically ranging from £2,000 to £7,000 to projects within the South-East region. The Trust operates with 10 volunteer trustees who bring extensive expertise in special education, and no trustees receive any remuneration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Red Hill Charitable Trust operates a single grant programme with two annual funding rounds:

• Main Grant Programme: £2,000 - £7,000 per grant
• Application Method: Fixed deadlines (1st February and 1st September)
• Decision Meetings: March and October
• Project Duration: Preference for one-year projects

Priority Areas

The Trust makes grants for educational or training purposes that benefit children and young people (under 25 years old) with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Priority areas include:

• Educational Support: Equipment and infrastructure for primary Nurture Groups, classroom conversions for therapeutic education, and specialized learning resources
• Therapies and Wellbeing: Play therapy, art therapy, music therapy, and other therapeutic interventions for children with SEMH needs
• Early Intervention: Projects targeting early intervention for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health challenges
• Equipment and Infrastructure: Physical resources that enable therapeutic and educational work (preferred over salary subsidies)
• Mentoring and Resilience Building: Outdoor team building, resilience sessions, and mentoring programmes

Geographic Restriction: Projects must be located in Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, or Southeast London postcodes. This allows trustees to conduct in-person visits to supported projects.

Beneficiary Focus: All projects must demonstrate clear benefit to children and young people (CYP) under 25 years old, often those with SEND identification in their EHCPs.

What They Don't Fund

• Individuals: Grants are only awarded to organisations, not individuals
• Salary Subsidies: Limited interest in funding salaries; preference for equipment and infrastructure
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Projects: Limited interest in ASD-specific projects (focus is on SEMH)
• Projects Outside Geographic Area: No funding for projects outside Kent, East/West Sussex, Surrey, and Southeast London
• Multi-Year Commitments: Preference for one-year project duration

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Governance and Leadership

The Red Hill Charitable Trust is governed by a board of 10 trustees, supported by one associate trustee. No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Current Trustees

• Bob Law - Chairman: Chairs three charities including SEBDA and KITE College. Bob has 26 years of headship experience, working in Special Schools, PRUs, and Alternative Provision, and led Goldwyn School (the most successful SEMH Special School in Kent) for 19 years. He was appointed a National Leader in Education (NLE) in 2017 and has worked with SEBDA for over thirty years. Under his leadership at Goldwyn, the school achieved zero permanent exclusions for over 14 years through pioneering local inclusion work in partnership with 60 Primary and 8 Secondary schools.

• Mike Startup - Treasurer

• Pam Jones OBE - Trustee: Born and educated in Wales, trained as a teacher in Kent, and worked in education in Kent for over 35 years in independent, mainstream secondary, primary and special schools. In 2004, she was appointed headteacher at Ifield School, one of Kent's largest special schools, which achieved two outstanding Ofsted inspections under her leadership.

• Kevin Moule - Trustee (since 2016): Worked at Barclays Bank for 43 years before retiring. Settled in Maidstone in 1990 and remains active as a trustee for multiple charities.

• Allan Adams - Trustee
• Tony Bunting - Trustee
• Nicola Clark - Trustee
• Emma Leitch - Trustee
• Bob Piggott - Trustee
• KCC Cllr Shellina Prendergast - Trustee
• Neil Rees-Davies - Associate Trustee

The board brings together deep expertise in special education (particularly SEMH), finance, and local government, reflecting the Trust's commitment to evidence-based, practical support for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Review Grant Criteria: Before applying, carefully review the grant criteria on the Trust's website. Applications that do not meet the criteria outlined in the Trust Deed cannot be considered.

1. Download Application Form: Download the application form from www.redhilltrust.org

1. Complete Form: Complete the form as a word-processed document (electronic format required)

1. Gather Supporting Materials: Supporting materials such as photographs may be sent electronically or as hard copy. Note that large files cannot be distributed to trustees in advance of the decision meeting, so compress or reduce file sizes where possible.

1. Submit Application: Email completed application and supporting materials to clerk@redhilltrust.org

1. Pre-Application Contact: If you have questions about eligibility or the application process, contact the Clerk before submitting. If you are unable to apply electronically, contact the Clerk for advice on alternative submission methods.

Application Deadlines

• 1st February: For consideration at March trustees meeting
• 1st September: For consideration at October trustees meeting

Late applications will automatically be deferred to the following meeting (6 months later).

Decision Timeline

• Submission: By 1st February or 1st September
• Trustee Meeting: March or October (respectively)
• Notification: Following trustee meetings
• Total Timeline: Approximately 1-2 months from submission deadline to decision

Post-Award Requirements

If your application is successful:

1. Written Report: Submit a written report (downloadable template available on website) demonstrating how funds were used and the impact achieved

1. Financial Records: Provide financial records showing expenditure of grant funds

1. Trustee Visit: Expect a trustee to make contact and likely visit the project during its implementation phase. This reflects the Trust's commitment to understanding the real-world impact of their grants and maintaining relationships with funded organisations.

Reapplication Policy

The Trust's website does not specify restrictions on reapplication. However, given the limited annual funding pool and geographic focus, organisations are encouraged to contact the Clerk to discuss timing for reapplication, particularly if the first application was unsuccessful.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Trust's stated priorities and governance expertise, applications are most likely to succeed when they demonstrate:

1. Clear SEMH Focus

The Trust's expertise lies in Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, not broader SEND or ASD-specific work. Applications should clearly articulate how the project addresses emotional and behavioural difficulties, using terminology aligned with SEMH practice. Given Chairman Bob Law's statement that he is "relentlessly seeking additional ways in which to support staff working with SEMH C&YP," proposals that support both children and the professionals working with them may be particularly compelling.

2. Evidence-Based Approach

With trustees including former headteachers of outstanding special schools, the Trust values evidence-based interventions. Applications should reference established therapeutic or educational approaches and, where possible, demonstrate how outcomes will be measured.

3. Equipment Over Salaries

The Trust explicitly prefers funding equipment and infrastructure over salary subsidies. Frame requests around tangible resources that enable therapeutic work—sensory equipment, outdoor learning spaces, specialist classroom conversions, or therapy materials—rather than staffing costs.

4. Practical, Achievable One-Year Projects

The Trust favours projects with clear deliverables within one year. Avoid vague, open-ended proposals. Instead, demonstrate what specific difference the grant will make to identifiable children within 12 months.

5. Geographic Accessibility

Projects must be located within the Trust's geographic area (Kent, East/West Sussex, Surrey, Southeast London) to enable trustee visits. Applications should provide clear location information and welcome the prospect of a trustee site visit during project implementation.

6. Early Intervention Focus

Recent grants suggest interest in early intervention and preventative work. The Trust's grant criteria specifically mention “early intervention for children with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs,” suggesting applications targeting primary-age children or early-stage interventions may be favourably received.

7. Institutional Applications

Remember that only organisations can apply—not individuals or families. The Trust supports institutions and charities working with multiple beneficiaries, not individual children or parents seeking support.

Recent Funded Projects Include:

• Equipment costs for primary Nurture Groups
• Outdoor team building and resilience sessions
• Art and music therapy workshops
• Mentoring programs
• Classroom conversions for therapeutic education
• Play therapy at Children's House Montessori (highlighted as a Centre of Excellence providing holistic child development and specialized support for SEMH challenges)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• SEMH is the focus: This Trust specialises in Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, not broader SEND. Use appropriate terminology and demonstrate understanding of SEMH challenges.

• Equipment grants succeed: With typical grants of £2,000-£7,000, focus on tangible resources (equipment, infrastructure, materials) rather than staff costs, which the Trust prefers not to fund.

• Geographic boundaries are strict: Projects must be in Kent, East/West Sussex, Surrey, or Southeast London—no exceptions. The Trust needs to visit in person.

• Trustees bring deep expertise: With 26 years of SEMH headship on the board, vague or poorly evidenced applications will not succeed. Demonstrate professional knowledge of the field.

• Welcome trustee engagement: A trustee visit during project implementation is standard practice. Frame this as an opportunity to showcase impact rather than a burden.

• Plan for two funding rounds annually: With deadlines in February and September only, plan ahead. Late applications wait six months for the next round.

• One-year projects preferred: Demonstrate what will be achieved within 12 months with clear, measurable outcomes for children and young people under 25.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Betty Riseley Trust for Children
• The Prince Philip Trust Fund
• John Horniman's Children's Trust
• Southover Manor General Educational Trust Limited
• E F AND M G HALL CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE TRUEMARK TRUST
• THE IAN ASKEW CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE NORMAN FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST
• Chapman Charitable Trust
• The Angus Lawson Memorial Trust

References

1. Red Hill Charitable Trust Official Website - https://redhilltrust.org/

1. Red Hill Charitable Trust Grant Criteria - https://redhilltrust.org/grant-criteria/

1. Red Hill Charitable Trust Application Information - https://redhilltrust.org/apply/

1. Red Hill Charitable Trust Recent Grants - https://redhilltrust.org/recentgrants/

1. Red Hill Charitable Trust Trustees - https://redhilltrust.org/trustees/

1. UK Charity Commission Register - RED HILL CHARITABLE TRUST (307891) - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=307891&subId=0

1. Bob Law Profile - SEBDA - https://sebda.org/about-bob-law/

1. Mrs Pam Jones OBE Profile - Canterbury Christ Church University - https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/about-us/leadership-and-governance/governing-body/mrs-pam-jones-obe

1. Kevin Moule Profile - Red Hill Trust - https://redhilltrust.org/kevin-moule/