The Blyth Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately £367,000 (based on 2024 income)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Variable - at trustees' discretion
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: Worldwide (any part of the world)

Contact Details

Website: https://funding.ludlowtrust.com

Email: charitabletrusts@ludlowtrust.com

Phone: 0117 313 8200

Address: 6th Floor Trinity Quay 2, Avon Street, Bristol, BS2 0PT

Overview

The Blyth Charitable Trust was registered with the Charity Commission in January 2018 (charity number 1176537). Established by Lord James Blyth of Rowington, the former Chairman of Diageo and The Boots Company, alongside The Honourable Abigail Blyth, this family trust operates with broad charitable objectives. With annual expenditure of approximately £403,000 (financial year ending December 2024), the trust holds capital and income to be applied for exclusively charitable purposes anywhere in the world at the trustees' discretion. The trust is managed through the Ludlow Trust Company's Funding Enquiry Gateway, which connects charitable applicants with over 250 grant-making trusts.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Blyth Charitable Trust operates with “General Charitable Purposes” - a broad mandate that allows the trustees discretion to support charitable objects and purposes in any part of the world. Specific grant programs, amounts, and priority themes are not publicly disclosed.

Applications are made through the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway at https://funding.ludlowtrust.com, where charities can submit either targeted applications to this specific trust or general applications that may be matched to multiple trusts managed by Ludlow.

Priority Areas

The trust's charitable objects are intentionally broad, stated as supporting “exclusively charitable objects and purposes in any part of the world as the trustees may in their discretion think fit.” This provides the trustees with flexibility to support causes aligned with their interests, though specific priority areas are not publicly documented.

What They Don't Fund

No explicit exclusions are publicly listed. Applicants should note that as a discretionary trust with broad objectives, funding decisions rest entirely with the trustees.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• Lord James Blyth of Rowington, M.A. KT (appointed 2017) - A distinguished business leader who served as Chief Executive and Chairman of The Boots Company (1987-2000) and Chairman of Diageo plc (2000-2008). Lord Blyth was knighted in 1985, created a life peer in 1995, and sat as a Conservative in the House of Lords until his retirement in 2018. He was also Chairman of the London Business School from 1987 to 1996.

• The Honourable Abigail Blyth, B.Eng. M.A. (appointed 2017) - The trust includes four trustees total, with at least one trustee receiving payments or benefits for services to the charity.

The trust benefits from Lord Blyth's extensive experience in corporate leadership and governance across multiple sectors including retail, consumer goods, and beverages.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications to The Blyth Charitable Trust are submitted through the Ludlow Trust Company's Funding Enquiry Gateway at https://funding.ludlowtrust.com.

Eligibility: UK registered charities and exempt charities can apply.

Application Options:

1. Targeted Application: Apply directly to The Blyth Charitable Trust
2. General Application: Submit a general application that will be matched to relevant trusts among the 250+ managed by Ludlow

Application Process:

• Complete an online application providing details about your charity and the project requiring funding
• The Gateway platform matches applications to relevant charitable trusts
• Trust managers review matched applications
• Suitable applications are forwarded to trustees for assessment
• No application fees

Rolling Basis: Applications can be submitted at any time throughout the year.

Decision Timeline

The timeframe for decision-making is at the discretion of the trustees. There is no fixed timeline, as each trust's trustees make decisions according to their own schedule.

Charities are notified through the Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway platform.

Success Rates

Specific success rates for The Blyth Charitable Trust are not publicly available. However, across the Ludlow Gateway platform:

• Over 17,000 applications have been received since the platform launched in September 2023
• More than £5 million in donations have been matched with charities
• This suggests a collective success rate across all 250+ trusts of approximately 3-5%, though individual trust rates will vary significantly

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. As applications can be submitted on a rolling basis, unsuccessful applicants may wish to contact the trust through the Gateway or via email for guidance on reapplication timing.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information about The Blyth Charitable Trust's specific preferences, applicants should consider:

Alignment with Trustee Expertise: Lord Blyth's distinguished career spanned retail, healthcare (Boots), consumer goods, and premium beverages (Diageo), along with defence and aerospace sectors. Applications from organizations working in these sectors or addressing related social issues may resonate with the trustees' experience and interests.

Clear Charitable Impact: With broad “general charitable purposes,” the trust has flexibility to support diverse causes. Applications should clearly articulate:

• The specific charitable need being addressed
• How the grant would create measurable impact
• The organization's track record and governance
• Sustainability beyond the grant period

Use of the Gateway Platform: The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway is designed to streamline matching and reduce inefficiencies. Ensure your application:

• Clearly specifies your charitable purposes and focus areas
• Provides detailed geographic and beneficiary information
• Describes projects comprehensively to enable accurate matching

Professional Presentation: Given Lord Blyth's background leading major corporations with high governance standards, applications should demonstrate:

• Strong organizational governance
• Financial accountability and transparency
• Strategic thinking and planning
• Professional communication

Worldwide Scope: The trust's charitable objects explicitly include “any part of the world,” indicating openness to both UK-based and international projects.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Broad discretionary mandate: The trust has intentionally wide charitable objectives, giving trustees flexibility to support diverse causes aligned with their interests
• Apply through the Gateway: All applications must go through https://funding.ludlowtrust.com - direct approaches are not the standard process
• Limited public information: With no detailed annual reports or case studies publicly available, applicants have limited insight into past funding patterns
• Family trust with corporate pedigree: Led by a former chairman of major UK corporations, expect high standards for governance and accountability
• No application deadlines: Rolling applications mean you can apply when ready, but also means no predictable decision cycles
• Consider the broader Ludlow network: A general application through the Gateway may match you with multiple trusts beyond The Blyth Charitable Trust
• Decision timelines vary: Be prepared for variable response times as decisions are at trustees' discretion

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• A J H Ashby Will Trust
• THE MACKAY AND BREWER CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Joyce Lomax Bullock Charitable Trust
• THE NICKA VASSILIOU CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE MISS J K STIRRUP CHARITY TRUST
• THE PAMELA EDMUNDSON/CONNOLLY CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Tomlinson Family Charitable Trust
• Audrey Earle Charitable Trust
• The Nesbitt-Cleland Trust
• The Rowse Family Trust

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: The Blyth Charitable Trust (1176537). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1176537&subid=0 []

• Ludlow Trust Company: “The Ludlow Funding Enquiry Gateway.” Available at: https://www.ludlowtrust.com/insights/the-ludlow-funding-enquiry-gateway/ []

• Ludlow Trust Company: "Ludlow's Funding Enquiry Gateway." Available at: https://www.ludlowtrust.com/insights/ludlows-funding-enquiry-gateway/ []

• Wikipedia: “James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington.” Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Blyth,_Baron_Blyth_of_Rowington []

• Charity Commission financial data for The Blyth Charitable Trust showing income of £367,435 and expenditure of £403,152 for the financial year ending 18 December 2024