St Edmunds Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £150,199 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not published
• Decision Time: Quarterly review cycle
• Grant Range: £800 - £30,000 (based on recent awards)
• Geographic Focus: West Suffolk (Bury St Edmunds, Mildenhall, Haverhill, Newmarket, Sudbury)

Contact Details

Address: Ellisons Solicitors, Suite 1A, Linden Square, 146 Kings Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3DJ

Phone: 01284 763333

Email: Graeme.Kirk@ellisonssolicitors.com

Website: www.stedmundstrust.org.uk

Overview

ST Edmunds Trust, incorporated on 2 February 1977, is a grant-making charity (charity number 273357) focused exclusively on West Suffolk. With annual grant distributions of approximately £150,000, the Trust relieves sickness for the public benefit by making grants to organisations providing treatment, care or support to sick or disabled persons. The Trust is administered by a board of governors who meet quarterly to review applications and distribute funding at their discretion. The Trust particularly welcomes applications for specific capital projects rather than ongoing commitments to recurrent funding such as salaries. Their governance structure includes professionals from finance, healthcare, legal, and local government sectors, bringing diverse expertise to funding decisions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Trust operates a single grant program with quarterly application reviews. Applications are considered in March, June, September, and December. The Trust does not publish specific grant amount ranges, but recent awards suggest grants typically fall between £800 and £30,000.

Application method: Online application through their website on a rolling basis, reviewed quarterly

Priority Areas

• Medical equipment and facilities for hospitals and healthcare providers
• Support services for people with disabilities (physical, mental, or sensory)
• Therapeutic and rehabilitation services
• Care facilities and equipment
• Equipment for organizations supporting mental health recovery
• Accessible recreational opportunities for disabled people
• Projects directly benefiting sick or disabled individuals in West Suffolk

What They Don't Fund

• Ongoing salary costs or recurrent funding commitments
• Organizations outside West Suffolk
• Projects not directly related to the care or treatment of sick or disabled people
• Individuals (grants are made to charitable organizations only)

Ready to write a winning application for St Edmunds Trust?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Join the Launch List

Governance and Leadership

The Trust is governed by a board of 8 trustees who meet quarterly. All trustees serve on a voluntary basis without remuneration. Key trustees include:

• Neville Horn (Chair): Investment Director with JM Finn with over 25 years experience managing Private Client, Trust and Charity investment portfolios. Also serves as Non-Executive Director of “Our Bury St Edmunds” business improvement district and Trustee of Friends of St Edmundsbury Cathedral.

• Shelley: Chartered accountant working at Knights Lowe Limited as Associate Director. West Suffolk District Councillor and former Mayor of St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Trustee of Bury St Edmunds Ecumenical Trust and Suffolk Academies Trust.

• Ian: Director of local pest control company 999 Pest Control Ltd and Cabinet Member for West Suffolk with portfolio responsibilities in Leisure & Culture.

• Dr Gilmour: GP partner in a large semi-rural Practice in Sudbury who graduated from Cambridge and trained at West Suffolk Hospital.

• Heather: Chartered and Certified Financial Planner with over 27 years' experience.

• Julia: Retired Solicitor who practiced in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.

Quote from Chair: Mary Pennock (former chair) stated when awarding a grant to MyWiSH: “We are delighted to support fundraising for a Sentimag machine... Hopefully this will reduce the incidence of lymphodema for breast cancer patients.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online through the Trust's website at stedmundstrust.org.uk/apply-online/. The Trust welcomes applications from charitable organizations involved in the care or treatment of sick or disabled people in West Suffolk.

Applicants are encouraged to review the “Projects Funded” section of the website to see examples of previously successful grants before applying.

Decision Timeline

The Governors meet quarterly to consider applications:

• March meeting
• June meeting
• September meeting
• December meeting (held after the AGM)

Specific application deadlines before each quarterly meeting are not published on the website. Organizations should contact the Trust directly or submit applications well in advance of the desired decision date.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not published. Organizations should contact the Trust directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Trust's stated preferences and recent grant awards, successful applications typically demonstrate:

Capital Project Focus: The Trust explicitly states it “welcomes the opportunity to fund specific projects which require investment of capital (rather than an ongoing commitment to recurrent funding of salaries).” Recent successful grants include:

• £28,133.99 to Papworth Trust Workwise for equipment including computers with current industry software and a laser cutter
• £7,000 to MyWiSH for a Sentimag machine for breast cancer care
• £7,000 to WASH Sailability for a new two-person Hansa 303 accessible dinghy

Direct Benefit to Beneficiaries: Successful projects demonstrate clear, tangible benefits to sick or disabled people. Examples include:

• Medical equipment that improves patient care (Sentimag machine reducing lymphedema incidence)
• Equipment enabling disabled people to access activities (accessible sailing dinghy)
• Training equipment helping people with mental health challenges develop workplace skills

West Suffolk Geographic Focus: All funded projects serve communities within the Trust's defined catchment area: Bury St Edmunds, Mildenhall, Haverhill, Newmarket, and Sudbury.

Measurable Outcomes: Successful applications articulate specific outcomes, such as WASH Sailability's report of “275 sailing sessions delivered by mid-July” serving people with physical, mental, or sensory disabilities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Emphasize capital needs: Frame requests around one-time equipment or facility purchases rather than ongoing operational costs or salaries
• Geographic eligibility is strict: Ensure your project serves West Suffolk; the five main towns are Bury St Edmunds, Mildenhall, Haverhill, Newmarket, and Sudbury
• Demonstrate direct impact: Clearly articulate how equipment or facilities will directly benefit sick or disabled people
• Review past grants: Study the projects funded section on their website to understand the types of projects that resonate with trustees
• Plan for quarterly cycle: Submit applications well before the quarterly meeting dates (March, June, September, December)
• Trustee expertise: The board includes healthcare professionals, financial experts, and local government representatives who bring sector knowledge to decisions
• No minimum or maximum stated: While grants range from £800 to £30,000 based on recent examples, the Trust does not publish formal limits—request what the project genuinely needs

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Geoffrey Watling Charity
• Eastern Counties Educational Trust Limited
• The Leslie Mary Carter Charitable Trust
• Heveningham Hall Country Fair Trust
• Charles S French Charitable Trust
• MRS L D ROPE'S SECOND CHARITABLE SETTLEMENT
• FOWLER SMITH AND JONES TRUST
• Alfred Williams Charitable Trust
• The Tudwick Foundation
• The Broomton Foundation

References

• ST Edmunds Trust official website: https://stedmundstrust.org.uk/
• ST Edmunds Trust About Us page: https://stedmundstrust.org.uk/about-us/
• ST Edmunds Trust project case studies: https://stedmundstrust.org.uk/projects/
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/273357
• Companies House: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01296735
• MyWiSH grant case study: https://stedmundstrust.org.uk/projects/7000-for-my-wish/
• Workwise grant case study: https://stedmundstrust.org.uk/projects/workwise-get-30k/
• WASH Sailability grant case study: https://stedmundstrust.org.uk/projects/wash-sailability/