Skelton Bounty

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £100,000 (approximately)
• Success Rate: Data not publicly available
• Decision Time: Applications reviewed at annual summer meeting; decisions communicated shortly after
• Grant Range: £500 - £5,000 (typically £500 - £3,000)
• Geographic Focus: Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside (including Blackpool, Blackburn, Warrington, and Halton)

Contact Details

Phone: 0151 227 5177

Email: hello@skeltoncharity.com (general enquiries)

grants@lcvs.org.uk (LCVS Grants Team - for application queries)

Website: www.skeltoncharity.com

Administrator: Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) administers the grants programme

Overview

The Skelton Charity, originally known as Skelton Bounty, was established in 1934 from legacies left by Joseph, Charles, and Ann Skelton of the Bolton area, who made their fortune in the thriving cotton and wool trade before retiring to Birkdale near Southport. Initially created to care for their staff in retirement, the charity evolved into a grant-making trust supporting charities across Lancashire. The charity has awarded over £3 million in grants since its establishment and now distributes approximately £100,000 annually to registered charities working to “provide greater opportunities for and improve the lives of children, the elderly and the disabled and their carers” in the North West of England. In the financial year ending April 2025, the charity had a total income of £115,993 and total expenditure of £109,661.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Annual Grant Programme: £500 - £5,000 (typically £500 - £3,000) - Applications reviewed once per year at trustees' meeting held each summer
• Application Method: Online application via Liverpool CVS website (fixed deadline)
• Application Period: Opens late March/early April; deadline typically end of April/early May
• Next Application Window: Opens 20th March 2026; closes 1st May 2026

Priority Areas

The trustees are particularly inclined to favour applications for:

Equipment for:

• Organizations supporting the elderly
• Organizations supporting people with disabilities
• Youth groups

Small specific capital projects with proven viability from community groups, including:

• Refurbishments
• Extensions
• Outdoor spaces
• Capital equipment

Holidays and respite breaks for disadvantaged members of society

What They Don't Fund

• Core organizational expenses (salaries, running costs, training, rent, utilities except as 10% overhead)
• Large capital projects (large building appeals)
• Revenue expenditure or ongoing costs
• Individuals
• Unregistered charities
• Community Interest Companies (CICs)
• Animal welfare charities
• Medical research charities
• Mainstream schools
• NHS hospitals
• National charities unless funds directly benefit people in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, or Lancashire

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Governance and Leadership

The charity is governed by nine trustees who receive no remuneration for their service:

Sue Lomas OBE DL (Chair) - Former teacher, now educational consultant and Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester

Carl Hankinson DL - Banking professional at NatWest with 30+ years in youth sector

Christine Reeves - Investment Manager in Liverpool for 34 years

Ken Martin - Finance Manager with 20 years administering small grant-making charitable trusts at LCVS

Gail Stanley MBE DL JP - Public sector professional and former High Sheriff of Lancashire

Gulab Singh MBE DL - Public health professional with community engagement expertise

Nabela Chaudhry - Chartered Accountant and Finance Director for a hospice

Michael Rollinson JP DL - Assistant head teacher with Scouts leadership experience

Paul Brearley JP DL - Public service professional with healthcare experience and Chair of Greater Manchester Bench

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online via Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) website. Pre-application support includes an annual webinar held the day before applications open (typically mid-March at 2pm) and guidance notes available on both LCVS and Skelton Charity websites.

Required documentation includes completed online application form, organization's approved governing document, recent bank statement, most recent accounts, and robust Safeguarding Policy.

Decision Timeline

Applications typically open mid-to-late March and close end of April/early May. Grants are determined by trustees at their annual meeting held each summer (June/July). All applicants are notified in writing following the trustees' meeting. Total time from application to decision is approximately 8-12 weeks.

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. In 2024, the charity awarded 54 grants totaling £86,940.43, with an average grant size of £1,609.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations that have received Skelton Trust funding must wait 2 years before reapplying. Applications from charities in successive years are not viewed favourably.

Application Success Factors

Based on the charity's guidance and 2024 funding patterns:

Strong Alignment with Priority Beneficiaries: The trustees particularly favour organizations supporting the elderly (28 of 54 grants in 2024), people with disabilities, and youth groups.

Equipment and Capital Focus: The charity explicitly prefers funding specific capital items and equipment rather than running costs. Successful 2024 applications included equipment for community centers and capital improvements to facilities.

Clear, Specific Project Costs: Applications should demonstrate proven viability of the project, specific costing for equipment or capital items, and how the grant will make a tangible difference.

Geographic Specificity: Clearly demonstrate that beneficiaries are located in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, or Merseyside. National charities must show funds directly benefit people in the beneficial area and submit local branch accounts.

Modest, Realistic Requests: The charity's philosophy is to “make relatively modest grants to a wide number of applicants.” Median grant in 2024 was approximately £1,500-£2,000.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Target applications for equipment for organizations supporting elderly, disabled, or youth (£1,500-£2,500 range) to align perfectly with stated priorities
• Be specific about capital needs - clearly itemize equipment or capital project costs
• Demonstrate local impact, especially if you're a branch of a national charity
• Attend the pre-application webinar and gather required documentation well in advance
• Show proven viability through planning, sustainability, and realistic budgeting
• Plan for the two-year cycle - if funded, you cannot reapply for two years
• Include beneficiary stories and evidence of need to strengthen your case

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• P H Holt Foundation
• The Manchester Guardian Society Charitable Trust
• PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND
• DJ Sidebottom/Glasdon Charitable Programme
• The Harold and Alice Bridges Charity
• The Hemby Charitable Trust
• The Equilibrium Foundation
• The David Snowdon Trust
• The Marjory Boddy Charitable Trust
• THE ERIC WRIGHT CHARITABLE TRUST

References

1. Skelton Charity Official Website: https://www.skeltoncharity.com/
2. Skelton Charity - Application Guidelines: https://www.skeltoncharity.com/how-to-apply/application-guidelines/
3. Skelton Charity - Our Trustees: https://www.skeltoncharity.com/about-us/our-trustees/
4. Skelton Charity - What We Fund: https://www.skeltoncharity.com/grants/what-we-fund/
5. Skelton Charity - List of Grants Awarded 2024: https://www.skeltoncharity.com/list-of-grants-awarded/list-of-grants-awarded-2024/
6. Charity Commission - SKELTON BOUNTY (219370): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=219370&subid=0
7. Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) - The Skelton Charity: https://www.lcvs.org.uk/funding/provided-or-managed-by-lcvs/theskeltoncharity/