The Charity Of Stella Symons

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £85,000-£95,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Estimated £250 - unknown upper limit
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales
• Charity Number: 259638

Contact Details

Registered Address:

20 Mill Street

Shipston-on-Stour

Warwickshire

CV36 4AW

Phone: 01243673455

Website: thestellasymonscharitabletrust.com (domain exists but limited public information)

Charity Commission Registration: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/259638

Overview

The Charity of Stella Symons (also known as the Stella Symons Charitable Trust) is a discretionary grant-making trust registered with the Charity Commission since 2 October 1969. With an annual expenditure of approximately £85,000-£95,000, this small independent trust operates throughout England and Wales, making grants to registered UK charities at the sole discretion of its three trustees. The trust's governing document states that it operates “for such charitable purposes as the trustees shall in their uncontrolled discretion from time to time determine,” giving the trustees wide-ranging authority to support diverse charitable causes. Recent financial data shows total income of £78,926 and total expenditure of £85,908 for the financial year ending 5 April 2025.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates a single discretionary grant programme with no fixed application deadlines or publicly advertised funding rounds. Grants are made throughout the year based on trustee decisions.

Priority Areas

The Charity of Stella Symons supports a broad range of charitable purposes across England and Wales. Based on recent grant recipients identified through public acknowledgements, the trust has demonstrated interest in:

• Children and Young People: Yorkshire Children's Trust (£250 for respite breaks), Emerge Bradford (charity for young people), CF Dream Holidays (supporting families affected by cystic fibrosis)
• Family Support Services: The Family Haven
• International Development: Play Action International (play-based programmes for children in refugee settlements)
• Community Services: Peer Advice Services UK
• Heritage and Conservation: The Mary Rose Trust

The trust's broad remit means it can consider applications from any registered UK charity working toward legitimate charitable purposes.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not published, but the trust's governing documents indicate grants are only made to organisations registered with the Charity Commission in the UK. It appears grants are not typically made to individuals or non-registered organisations.

Ready to write a winning application for The Charity Of Stella Symons?

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

Trustees

The charity is governed by three trustees:

• Jane Elizabeth Warnick (appointed 2019)
• Jonathan Simon Sheldon Bosley
• Katherine Ann Willis

The trust operates with standard governance policies including conflicts of interest, trustee expenses, serious incident reporting, and risk management policies. No trustees receive remuneration or payments from the charity, and it has no employees with benefits over £60,000.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Charity of Stella Symons operates as a discretionary trust, meaning grants are made entirely at the discretion of the trustees without a formal, publicly advertised application procedure. The trust's charitable objectives explicitly state that grants are made “for such charitable purposes as the trustees shall in their uncontrolled discretion from time to time determine.”

There is no online application portal, published application guidelines, or fixed deadlines. The trust does not appear to accept unsolicited applications through standard channels.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Given the discretionary nature of the trust, decisions are made by trustees on their own schedule throughout the year.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available, as there is no formal application process.

Reapplication Policy

No information is available regarding reapplication policies.

Application Success Factors

Given the lack of a public application process, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organisations seeking to understand this funder should note:

• Broad Charitable Mandate: The trust has demonstrated willingness to fund diverse causes, from heritage conservation to children's welfare, from small local charities to larger national organisations
• Geographic Spread: Grant recipients have been located across England and Wales, suggesting no strong geographic preference
• Organisation Size: The trust has supported both small local charities and larger established organisations
• Grant Amounts: Evidence suggests grants range from small amounts (£250 documented) to potentially larger sums for bigger projects, though specific amounts are rarely disclosed
• UK Registered Charities Only: The trust exclusively supports charities registered with the Charity Commission
• Trustee Discretion: All decisions are made at the uncontrolled discretion of three trustees, suggesting personal connections or trustee knowledge of organisations may play a significant role

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is a discretionary trust without a public application process - organisations cannot apply directly through standard channels
• The trust makes grants of varying sizes to UK registered charities across a broad range of causes
• With annual expenditure of approximately £85,000-£95,000, this is a small grant maker supporting multiple organisations each year
• Past recipients include organisations working with children, families, heritage, international development, and community services
• The trust has been operating since 1969, suggesting it may have established relationships with certain types of organisations or causes
• Organisations seeking funding should focus on building awareness of their work within the charitable sector rather than submitting formal applications
• The trust's wide discretionary powers mean it is not restricted to specific themes or causes, offering potential support across the charitable spectrum

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• John James Underdown Charitable Trust
• The Wyfold Charitable Trust
• Bathgate Charitable Trust
• Susanna Peake Charitable Trust
• D C R Allen Charitable Trust
• Duke of Devonshire's Charitable Trust
• The Nani Huyu Charitable Trust
• THE PORTRACK CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Mary Kinross Charitable Trust
• GRACE CHARITABLE TRUST

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/259638 (accessed 30 January 2026)
• Yorkshire Children's Trust news article: “Stella Symons Trust Supports Respite Breaks”
• The Family Haven supporters page: https://www.thefamilyhaven.com/whats-on-offer/our-supporters/ (accessed 30 January 2026)
• Peer Advice Services UK funders page: https://peeradviceservicesuk.org/funders/ (accessed 30 January 2026)
• Play Action International partnerships page: https://playactioninternational.org/our-work/partnerships/ (accessed 30 January 2026)
• CF Dream Holidays supporters page: https://www.cfdreamholidays.co.uk/our-supporters (accessed 30 January 2026)
• Emerge Bradford supporters page: https://emergeonline.org.uk/our-supporters/ (accessed 30 January 2026)
• Charity Commission financial data for years ending 2021-2025