The Chaldean Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £103,139 (2024/25)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: National (UK) and international
• Registered: September 2013

Contact Details

Address: Carldane Court, Bromley Lane, Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, SG10 6HU

Phone: 01279 843861

Email: sbond@chaldean.co.uk

Website: https://chaldean.co.uk/charity

Overview

The Chaldean Charitable Trust was registered as a charity in September 2013 under a trust deed dated 30 May 2013. The trust operates as a private grant-making foundation supporting registered charities, with a particular emphasis on those working with and for the benefit of children. In the financial year ending 30 May 2025, the trust had total income of £138,078 and total expenditure of £103,139. The trust is governed by four trustees who serve without remuneration. The trust's founder and key trustee, Gordon Morrison BEM, is a successful businessman who sold Morrison Construction for £262 million and now dedicates approximately half his working life to charitable activities. He manages his investments through his privately owned company, Chaldean, and uses the trust as a vehicle for strategic philanthropy.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Chaldean Charitable Trust does not operate formal grant programs with named streams or published funding rounds. Instead, the trustees exercise discretion in awarding grants to registered charities that align with the trust's objects.

Priority Areas

Primary Focus:

• Charities working with and for the benefit of children
• Children's health, particularly cancer treatment and care
• Youth services and support for vulnerable young people

Additional Areas:

The trust's objects permit grants "in furtherance of other charitable purposes within the Charity's objects as the Trustees in their discretion determine," indicating flexibility beyond children's causes.

Known Areas of Interest (based on trustee affiliations):

• International children's cancer care (through World Child Cancer)
• Local Hertfordshire-based charities supporting children and young people (through Helping Herts)
• Community support and welfare services

What They Don't Fund

The trust only makes grants to other registered charities, not to individuals or non-charitable organizations.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• Gordon Morrison (Trustee)
• Mrs Mary Morrison (Trustee)
• David Morrison (Trustee)
• Mrs Morag Broom (Trustee)

Key Leadership:

Gordon Morrison BEM is the driving force behind The Chaldean Charitable Trust. He was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for his work with World Child Cancer, where he serves as Chairman of World Child Cancer Global. Morrison has extensive experience in charity leadership, having played a key role in the merger of Sargent Cancer Care for Children and CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood) to form CLIC Sargent, which now has an annual turnover of approximately £30 million.

Morrison is also the founder of Helping Herts, a charity aimed at supporting less privileged people in Hertfordshire, which is the official charity of Stort Valley Rotary Club. Since May 2021, Helping Herts has raised over £1 million, with more than £687,900 awarded to support children and young people in local communities.

Governance Standards:

• No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity
• No trading subsidiaries
• No employees with benefits over £60,000
• Reporting status: Up to date with the Charity Commission

Gordon Morrison's Philosophy on Charity Work:

In an interview with Pictet, Morrison explained his approach: "I consider my charity activities to be businesses, just with a different type of P&L." This reflects his business-minded approach to philanthropy, applying commercial acumen to maximize charitable impact.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This trust does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees rather than through an open application system.

There is no application form, published criteria, or application portal available. The trust operates as a private grant-making foundation where trustees identify and support causes that align with their charitable objectives.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the trust does not operate a formal application cycle.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Given that The Chaldean Charitable Trust does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors appear to influence which organizations receive support based on the trustees' known affiliations and interests:

Connection to Trustee Interests:

Organizations that align with the trustees' active involvement in the charitable sector may be more likely to receive consideration. Gordon Morrison's roles with World Child Cancer and Helping Herts indicate strong preferences for:

• Children's health and welfare
• International development in pediatric healthcare
• Local Hertfordshire-based charities
• Organizations addressing youth homelessness and disadvantage

Demonstrated Impact:

Given Morrison's business background and his statement that he treats “charity activities as businesses,” organizations that can demonstrate clear outcomes, efficient operations, and measurable impact are likely to resonate with the trust's approach.

Scale and Sustainability:

Morrison's involvement with organizations ranging from major national charities (CLIC Sargent) to local community initiatives (Helping Herts) suggests openness to charities of varying sizes, provided they demonstrate solid governance and sustainable models.

Focus on Children:

The trust's stated priority is “particularly those which work with and for the benefit of children,” making organizations with child-focused missions significantly more aligned with the trust's core purpose.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This trust awards grants at trustee discretion rather than accepting applications
• Children first: While the trust can support other charitable purposes, children's charities are the explicitly stated priority
• Business-minded approach: The trustees, particularly Gordon Morrison, value efficiency, measurable impact, and professional governance
• Trustee connections matter: Organizations connected to World Child Cancer, Helping Herts, or the Stort Valley Rotary network may be better positioned to come onto the trustees' radar
• Size flexibility: The trust supports both major national charities and smaller local organizations
• International and local: Geographic scope includes both UK-based charities and international development work
• Relationship-based giving: Without a public application process, building awareness through the trustees' existing charitable networks is key

References

• UK Charity Commission Register, The Chaldean Charitable Trust (Charity Number 1153713). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5040647

• Chaldean Estate Limited, “The Chaldean Charitable Trust,”. https://chaldean.co.uk/charity

• Pictet, “How Gordon Morrison applies business skills to charity,”. https://www.pictet.com/us/en/insights/gordon-morrison-charity-work

• Hemel Today, “Helping Herts raises over £318,000 in 2024 for its partner charities and welcomes new ones for 2025,” December 2024. https://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/community/helping-herts-raises-over-ps318000-in-2024-for-its-partner-charities-and-welcomes-new-ones-for-2025-4954091

• World Child Cancer, “Our People,”. https://worldchildcancer.org/our-people-uk/

• OpenCharities, “The Chaldean Charitable Trust,”. http://opencharities.org/charities/1153713