The Bpr Trust

Charity Number: 1055447

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Registered Charity Number: 1055447
  • Annual Giving: £224,028 (2024/25)
  • Annual Income: £239,996 (2024/25)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available (trustee discretion)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified
  • Geographic Focus: England and Wales
  • Application Method: Invitation only/trustee discretion

Contact Details

Address: 2 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, London, WC2A 3TH

Phone: 020 7691 4000

Email: nick.giles@edwincoe.com

Contact Person: Nick Giles (Trustee and solicitor at Edwin Coe LLP)

Overview

THE BPR TRUST, also known as The Blood Pressure Research Trust, was registered as a charity on 17 May 1996. The trust focuses on research into the causes, mechanisms and treatment of blood pressure and associated human conditions, with the explicit aim of disseminating research results for the education and benefit of the public. Operating throughout England and Wales, the charity provides substantial support for research work into hypertension, with trustees closely monitoring funded research. The trust's primary method of fulfilling its charitable purposes is through grant-making to other charities and voluntary bodies, as well as sponsoring or undertaking research directly. In recent years, the trust has been a significant contributor to hypertension research in the UK, including co-funding (with Queen Mary University of London) the establishment of the MacGregor Centre for Global Blood Pressure Control with £10 million, named in honour of the late Professor Graham MacGregor CBE FMedSci, a global authority on salt reduction and cardiovascular health.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The BPR Trust does not operate structured grant programmes with fixed amounts or deadlines. Instead, grants are awarded at trustee discretion based on identified research priorities in the field of hypertension and blood pressure regulation.

Known Major Grant:

  • MacGregor Centre for Global Blood Pressure Control at Queen Mary University of London: £10 million (co-funded with Queen Mary University of London)

Priority Areas

  • Research into the causes of hypertension and high blood pressure
  • Studies on mechanisms of blood pressure regulation
  • Development of treatments for blood pressure-related conditions
  • Associated human conditions related to cardiovascular health
  • Dissemination of research findings for public benefit
  • Advancement of health or saving of lives through blood pressure research

What They Don't Fund

The trust does not publish explicit exclusions, but its charitable objects are narrowly focused on blood pressure research. It is unlikely to fund:

  • Research outside the cardiovascular/hypertension field
  • Projects not related to blood pressure or associated conditions
  • Operational costs unrelated to research
  • General charitable activities beyond their specific research focus
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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The trust is governed by four trustees as of the most recent Charity Commission filing:

  • Dr Fengjun He (also known as Dr Feng He): Based at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London. Dr He is an internationally recognized researcher focusing on salt reduction and its effects on blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Her research has significantly contributed to understanding salt intake as a risk factor for hypertension.
  • Dr Christopher Alan James MacGregor: Son of the late Professor Graham MacGregor CBE FMedSci, who was a pioneering figure in blood pressure research and founder of Blood Pressure UK.
  • Nick Giles: A consultant solicitor at Edwin Coe LLP specializing in charity law, probate and estate administration. He works with charitable foundations, serving as trustee to support governance and strategic planning.
  • Wendy Jarrett: Chief Executive of Understanding Animal Research (UAR), a UK organization promoting transparency in animal research. She is also Vice President of the Institute of Animal Technology and a member of the Home Office Animals in Science Committee.

None of the trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The BPR Trust operates on a trustee-led model where grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees based on their knowledge of the field and identified research priorities.

Grants appear to be awarded to institutions and researchers known to the trustees or identified through their professional networks in the hypertension research community, particularly those with connections to Queen Mary University of London and the broader UK cardiovascular research sector.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the trust's close connection to Queen Mary University of London's blood pressure research programmes and the legacy of Professor Graham MacGregor, researchers working in hypertension may increase visibility by:

  • Engagement with Queen Mary University of London: The trust has a significant relationship with QMUL, particularly the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine and the William Harvey Research Institute. Collaboration or affiliation with these institutions may provide indirect connections.
  • The MacGregor Centre for Global Blood Pressure Control: This centre, co-funded by the BPR Trust, represents a major focus of their grant-making. Researchers aligned with the centre's work in salt reduction, blood pressure epidemiology, renal medicine, or clinical trials in hypertension may be well-positioned.
  • Blood Pressure UK connections: While a separate organization, Blood Pressure UK was founded by Professor Graham MacGregor and shares thematic overlap with the trust's mission. Engagement with this charity's work may demonstrate commitment to the field.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the trust operates on a trustee discretion model without formal application cycles.

Success Rates

Not publicly available, as there is no open application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

As the BPR Trust does not accept unsolicited applications, the key factors for receiving funding appear to be:

  • Research excellence in hypertension: The trust supports world-leading research into blood pressure causes, mechanisms and treatments. Projects must demonstrate scientific rigor and potential for meaningful impact on understanding or treating hypertension.
  • Alignment with trustee expertise: With trustees including leading researchers in salt reduction and blood pressure epidemiology (Dr Feng He), researchers working in complementary areas may be better positioned.
  • Focus on public benefit: The trust's charitable objects explicitly include dissemination of research results for public education and benefit. Research proposals should demonstrate how findings will be translated for public health impact.
  • Institutional credibility: The trust's known major grant to Queen Mary University of London suggests preference for established research institutions with track records in cardiovascular research.
  • Connection to the MacGregor legacy: The trust's co-funding of the MacGregor Centre indicates ongoing commitment to Professor Graham MacGregor's vision for global blood pressure control through salt reduction and nutrition policy.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This trust awards grants by trustee invitation only. Direct applications are not accepted.
  • Highly specialized focus: Funding is exclusively for hypertension and blood pressure research, with emphasis on mechanistic studies, treatment development and public health dissemination.
  • Significant capacity for major grants: The £10 million commitment to the MacGregor Centre demonstrates the trust's capacity to make substantial, transformational investments in the field.
  • Strong Queen Mary University of London connection: The trust's major grant and trustee composition suggest close alignment with QMUL's blood pressure research programmes.
  • Research dissemination valued: The trust's objects emphasize not just conducting research but ensuring findings reach the public, suggesting value placed on translational and public health impact.
  • Legacy of Professor Graham MacGregor: Understanding the work and philosophy of Professor MacGregor, particularly around salt reduction and cardiovascular health, provides insight into the trust's likely priorities.
  • Limited transparency: The trust does not publish annual reports detailing grants awarded, making it difficult to identify patterns in funding decisions beyond the known MacGregor Centre grant.

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