The Hutchinson Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £396,620 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available (trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: Not publicly specified
• Geographic Focus: Fenland region, especially Wisbech and surrounding areas
• Total Income: £1,725,032 (2024)
• Assets: Significant investment portfolio

Contact Details

Phone: 01945 586409

Note: No website or email address is publicly available. The trust does not appear to have a public-facing online presence.

Overview

The Hutchinson Charitable Trust was registered with the Charity Commission on 5 February 2014 (charity number 1155643). The trust operates as a private grant-making organization with substantial assets, distributing approximately £397,000 annually to charitable causes. The trust's 2024 financial year showed total income of £1.7 million, primarily from donations and legacies (£1.2 million) and investments (£524,170). The trust is managed by two trustees, David Antony Hutchinson MA, ACA (Chair) and Michael Leslie Hutchinson, both appointed in 2013, with neither receiving remuneration. The trust focuses its grant-making on four main areas: agricultural charities, charities supporting disadvantaged people, educational charities, and charities serving the Fenland area, with particular emphasis on organizations connected to Wisbech.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

Agricultural Charities

• Organizations supporting farming communities and agricultural development
• Rural diversification projects
• Agricultural education and training initiatives

Disadvantaged People Charities

• Organizations providing support to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups
• Community welfare projects
• Social inclusion initiatives

Educational Charities

• Educational institutions and programs
• Skills training and development
• Youth education projects

Fenland Charities

• Strong emphasis on charities connected to Wisbech
• Organizations serving the broader Fenland region
• Local community projects in Cambridgeshire's Fenland district

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available. However, the trust's objects specify funding is “mainly, but not exclusively” in their four priority areas, suggesting some flexibility while maintaining focus on their stated priorities.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• David Antony Hutchinson MA, ACA (Chair) - Appointed 2013
• Michael Leslie Hutchinson - Appointed 2013

Both trustees are connected to the Wisbech area through business interests. Neither trustee receives any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust operates with one volunteer and maintains a lean administrative structure focused on grant-making activities.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Hutchinson Charitable Trust operates through trustee discretion, meaning grants are awarded based on the trustees' knowledge of charitable needs in their priority areas. There is no online application portal, published application guidelines, or advertised grant programs.

The trust appears to identify beneficiaries through the trustees' own research and connections within the Fenland region, particularly in Wisbech and surrounding areas. Organizations seeking funding from this trust cannot submit unsolicited applications through a formal process.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. Decisions are made at the discretion of the two trustees throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. As the trust does not accept public applications, traditional success rate metrics do not apply.

Reapplication Policy

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

Application Success Factors

Given that The Hutchinson Charitable Trust does not accept public applications, there are no published criteria for successful applications. The trust operates entirely through trustee discretion, with grants awarded based on:

• Alignment with Priority Areas: Organizations must fall within the trust's four focus areas (agricultural, disadvantaged people, educational, or Fenland/Wisbech charities)

• Geographic Connection: Strong preference for organizations with connections to Wisbech and the Fenland region

• Trustee Awareness: As grants are made through trustee discretion rather than formal applications, organizations must be known to the trustees or identified through their networks

• Charitable Impact: Organizations demonstrating clear charitable benefit within the trust's priority areas

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This trust does not accept unsolicited grant applications and operates entirely through trustee discretion

• Geographic Focus: Strong emphasis on Wisbech and Fenland region charities - local connection appears to be a significant factor

• Four Priority Areas: Funding is concentrated in agricultural, disadvantaged people, educational, and Fenland charities

• Private Family Trust: Operated by two family trustees (David and Michael Hutchinson) with deep roots in the Wisbech area

• Substantial Resources: With annual giving of nearly £400,000 and significant investment income, this is a well-resourced trust despite its private nature

• Limited Public Information: Very little information is available about specific grants made, application procedures, or grant amounts

• Alternative Approach Required: Organizations seeking funding from this trust cannot apply directly and would need to focus on building visibility within the local Fenland charitable sector

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Whittlesey Charity
• Douglas Compton James Charitable Trust
• The City and University of Cambridge Masonic Charitable Trust
• CLAN TRUST LIMITED
• Rotary Club of Cambridge Trust Fund
• United Charities of Cambridge
• Felix Thornley Cobbold Agricultural Trust
• The Strangward Trust
• The Mulberry Trust
• Chadacre Agricultural Trust

References

• Charity Commission for England & Wales, “THE HUTCHINSON CHARITABLE TRUST - Charity 1155643”, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1155643&subid=0, accessed 8 December 2025

• Charity Commission Register of Charities, Financial data for year ending 31 December 2024, accessed 8 December 2025

• Giving is Great, “THE HUTCHINSON CHARITABLE TRUST | Charity Factsheet”, https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1155643, accessed 8 December 2025