St Hild And St Bede Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £276,428 (2025/2026)
• Success Rate: Not published
• Decision Time: Applications in December, announcements in April (4 months)
• Grant Range: £250 - £85,000
• Geographic Focus: Dioceses of Durham and Newcastle only

Contact Details

Address: The College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham, DH1 4RY

Phone: 01833 637334

Email: clerk@sthildandstbedetrust.co.uk

Website: www.sthildandstbedetrust.co.uk

Clerk to the Trustees: Canon Frances Stenlake

For College Scholarships: Professor Simon Forrest (simon.forrest@durham.ac.uk)

For Durham Diocese CME: Alan Bartlett (alan.bartlett@durham.anglican.org)

For Newcastle Diocese CME: Ce Pacitti (c.pacitti@newcastle.anglican.org)

Overview

The ST Hild and St Bede Trust was established in April 1979 following the closure of two historic Church of England teacher training colleges: St Hild's College (founded 1858 for women) and the College of the Venerable Bede (founded 1845 for men). When these institutions were integrated into Durham University, the Trust received their endowed assets. Registered as a charity in October 1966, the Trust manages these historical educational charities plus the Robert Thompson Memorial Prize Foundation (1967). The Trust's primary mission is to advance higher and further education within the dioceses of Durham and Newcastle, particularly in accordance with Church of England doctrines and supporting students training as teachers. In 2025/2026, the Trust distributed £276,428 across 16 recipients, with funding priorities including theological education, religious education resources, chaplaincy services, and teacher training. The Trust explicitly notes that funding is limited and “generally equates to the interest received from the capital investments held by the Trust.”

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Organisational Grants (December 31 deadline, announced April):

• Major institutional support: £48,500 - £85,000 for core programs
• Educational initiatives: £9,000 - £56,714 for teacher training and RE advisors
• Resource centers and curriculum support: £15,242 - £85,000
• Community and youth chaplaincy: £15,500
• Student support programs: £1,570 - £2,104

Personal Postgraduate Grants (June 30 deadline):

• £15,000 total available for theology/religious education postgraduate students
• Individual amounts not specified

College of St Hild and St Bede Scholarships:

• Theological scholarships: £4,000 (part of college allocation)
• Organ scholarships: Included in £5,648 choir and music direction support

Continuing Ministerial Development:

• £13,000 available through diocese administration

Priority Areas

Core Funding Focus:

• Religious Education (RE) support in schools and teacher training
• Chaplaincy services at universities and colleges
• Theological education and training for ministry
• Resources for RE teaching and curriculum development
• Teacher training bursaries, particularly for those training to teach RE
• Student support for those interested in religious education or teaching careers
• Youth outreach and chaplaincy (ages 16-18)
• Church music and worship support (organ scholarships, choir direction)

Geographic Restriction:

• All funding is restricted to the dioceses of Durham and Newcastle only

Denominational Alignment:

• Strong preference for projects aligned with Church of England doctrines
• Support for Anglican educational initiatives

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, based on funding patterns:

• Projects outside the dioceses of Durham and Newcastle
• General education projects without a religious education component
• Activities not aligned with Church of England values
• Applications received after June 30 (for personal grants) will only be considered if sufficient funds remain

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Governance and Leadership

Trustee Structure

The Trust has up to 14 Managing Trustees organized as follows:

• 4 Ex-officio Trustees
• 7 Nominative Trustees
• 3 Co-opted Trustees

Current Trustees

Ex-officio Trustees:

• Bishop of Durham (currently vacant)
• Bishop of Newcastle (resigned)
• Mr James Walsh (nominated by Vice Chancellor of Durham University)
• Professor Simon Forrest (Principal of the College of St Hild and St Bede)

Nominative Trustees:

• Mr Paul Rickeard (Durham Diocesan Board of Education)
• Mr Martin Stand (Durham Diocesan Board of Education)
• Miss Sally Milner (Newcastle Diocesan Board of Education)
• Vacant position (Newcastle Diocesan Board of Education)
• Revd Canon Libby Wilkinson (Durham Diocesan Board of Finance)
• Ms Sally Cooper (Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance)
• Ms Erica-Jane Soulsby (Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral)

Co-opted Trustees:

• Dr Andrew Fowler (Chair) - Diocese of Durham
• Canon Linda Burton - Diocese of Durham
• Mr George Carter - Diocese of Durham

Clerk to the Trustees:

• Canon Frances Stenlake

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Organisational Grants:

1. Contact the Clerk to the Trustees at clerk@sthildandstbedetrust.co.uk for guidance
2. Submit application by December 31
3. All applicants must supply their safeguarding policy
4. Clearly outline in the application how funds will be used
5. Be aware that funding is limited and generally equates to interest from capital investments

For Personal Postgraduate Grants:

1. Email clerk@sthildandstbedetrust.co.uk
2. Submit by June 30
3. Must be within Durham or Newcastle dioceses
4. Late applications (after June 30) only considered if funds available
5. Applications should relate to theology, religious education, or Christian vocational qualifications

For College of St Hild and St Bede Scholarships:

• Contact Professor Simon Forrest directly: simon.forrest@durham.ac.uk

For Continuing Ministerial Development:

• Durham Diocese: Contact Alan Bartlett (alan.bartlett@durham.anglican.org)
• Newcastle Diocese: Contact Ce Pacitti (c.pacitti@newcastle.anglican.org)

Decision Timeline

Organisational Grants:

• Applications due: December 31
• Funding announcements: April
• Total timeline: Approximately 4 months

Personal Postgraduate Grants:

• Applications due: June 30
• Decision timeline not specified

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available. The Trust does not publish information about the number of applications received versus grants awarded.

Reapplication Policy

The Trust's website does not specify a reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. No waiting periods or restrictions are documented.

Application Success Factors

Grant Conditions and Evaluation:

The Trust clearly states: “It is a condition of any grant awarded that the grant is used as outlined in the grant application.” Additionally, “It is a requirement of all organisations and individuals receiving a grant that an evaluation is provided to show the impact of the funding received.” This demonstrates the Trust values accountability and measurable outcomes.

Recent Funding Patterns (2025/2026):

Analysis of awarded grants shows the Trust prioritizes:

• Core institutional support: The largest single grant (£85,000) went to the North East Religious Learning Resources Centre, indicating willingness to make substantial investments in infrastructure that serves the region
• Salary and staffing costs: Multiple grants support staffing (chaplain salary £48,500, RE advisor employment £56,714), showing the Trust values sustainable human resource investments
• Multi-year or ongoing commitments: Several recipients appear to receive regular support, suggesting the Trust values long-term relationships

Geographic Compliance:

The Trust explicitly restricts funding to Durham and Newcastle dioceses. Applications from outside this area will not be considered regardless of merit.

Safeguarding Requirements:

All organizational applicants must provide a safeguarding policy—this is non-negotiable and reflects the Trust's focus on working with young people and vulnerable populations.

Church of England Alignment:

Given the Trust's objective to advance education “in accordance with the doctrines of the Church of England,” applications should demonstrate alignment with Anglican values and priorities. The governance structure, dominated by diocesan representatives, reinforces this denominational focus.

Teacher Training Focus:

The Trust's founding mission specifically mentions “the needs of students undergoing training as teachers.” Applications supporting teacher training, particularly in RE, align strongly with historical priorities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic restriction is absolute: Only apply if your work is within the dioceses of Durham and Newcastle—this is non-negotiable
• Religious education is the sweet spot: The Trust's largest grants consistently support RE teaching, resources, and training—projects with strong RE components are most competitive
• Plan for accountability: Be prepared to provide detailed impact evaluation after receiving funding—the Trust explicitly requires this from all recipients
• Submit safeguarding documentation: Organizational applicants must include safeguarding policies with applications—prepare this in advance
• Demonstrate Church of England alignment: While the Trust supports education broadly, alignment with Anglican doctrine and priorities significantly strengthens applications
• Consider salary/staffing requests: The Trust has shown willingness to fund significant staff costs (chaplains, advisors, music directors), not just project or program costs
• Respect the application cycle: Organizational grants have a fixed December 31 deadline with April announcements—late applications are disadvantaged
• Build diocesan connections: Given the governance structure heavily weighted toward diocesan boards, relationships within Durham and Newcastle dioceses may be valuable

References

• ST Hild and St Bede Trust Official Website -
• ST Hild and St Bede Trust: How to Apply - Application process and deadlines -
• ST Hild and St Bede Trust: Grants Agreed 2025/2026 - Recent grant recipients and amounts -
• ST Hild and St Bede Trust: History and Objectives - Founding history and mission -
• ST Hild and St Bede Trust: Trustees - Current governance structure -
• Charity Commission Register: ST Hild and St Bede Trust (527411) - Official charity registration details -