The James & Shirley Sherwood Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £101,872 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not applicable - trustee discretion only
• Decision Time: Not applicable - no public process
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales, with international reach (USA, Italy, Australia, South Africa)

Contact Details

Email: Foundation@jbsmanagement.com

Phone: 020 7373 2216

Address: 24 The Boltons, London SW10 9SU

Charity Commission: Register number 1194842

Overview

The James & Shirley Sherwood Foundation was established in 2021 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation following the death of entrepreneur James Sherwood in May 2020. The foundation honours James Blair Sherwood (1933-2020), the American-born British businessman who founded Sea Containers and created the luxury Orient-Express hotel group (now Belmond), and his wife Dr. Shirley Angela Sherwood OBE, a distinguished botanist and collector of botanical art.

The foundation operates as a private family grant-making trust, with grants awarded at the absolute discretion of the three trustees. With annual expenditure ranging from £100,000 to £260,000, the foundation makes strategic grants primarily in areas reflecting the founders' lifelong passions: education (particularly biology and botany), botanical art, culture, heritage, and science. The foundation operates across England and Wales with additional international reach reflecting the Sherwood family's global connections.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation does not operate specific grant programmes. All grants are made at trustee discretion without public application processes.

Priority Areas

• Education: Particularly biology, botany, and related sciences
• Botanical Art: Support for galleries, collections, exhibitions, and artists
• Culture and Heritage: Museums, galleries, and heritage preservation
• Science: Research and education in botany and conservation
• International Projects: Work in Italy, Australia, South Africa, and the USA

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's narrow focus suggests they do not fund:

• General charitable appeals unrelated to their specific interests
• Organisations without clear connections to their priority areas
• Routine operating costs for large established charities
• Individual welfare or direct service provision

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Governance and Leadership

Dr. Shirley Angela Masser Sherwood OBE (Chair)

• Distinguished botanist and collector with world's largest contemporary botanical art collection
• St Anne's College, Oxford alumna
• Appointed OBE in 2012 for services to botanical art
• Established Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew Gardens

Simon Michael Cross Sherwood (Trustee)

• Son from Dr. Sherwood's first marriage

Charles Nigel Cross Sherwood (Trustee)

• Son from Dr. Sherwood's first marriage

How to Apply to The James & Shirley Sherwood Foundation

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The James & Shirley Sherwood Foundation operates as a private family foundation where grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees. Grants are typically made to institutions with personal connections to the Sherwood family or organisations operating in the foundation's specific areas of interest.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on documented grant-making patterns, the foundation appears to support:

• Institutions with Direct Family Connections: Organisations with personal connections to the Sherwood family
• Organisations in Botanical Art: Institutions aligned with Dr. Sherwood's pioneering work in botanical illustration
• Universities in Biology/Botany: Academic institutions with excellence in biological sciences
• Geographic Connections: Projects in specific regions where the family has business or personal connections (Venice, other Belmond hotel locations)

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants made at trustee discretion without formal application cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's private nature, success factors for organisations hoping to attract support include:

• Personal Connections: Personal connections to the Sherwood family are paramount
• Botanical Art Excellence: Organisations working in contemporary botanical illustration aligned with Dr. Sherwood's collection focus
• Biology Education: Institutions demonstrating excellence in biological sciences, particularly botany
• Heritage Significance: Projects with cultural or heritage components reflecting James Sherwood's work restoring historic luxury trains and hotels
• Endowment Focus: Preference for creating lasting legacies through endowments rather than short-term project funding

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process - private family foundation making grants at trustee discretion only
• Personal connections paramount - documented grants reflect direct connections to the Sherwood family
• Botanical art and biology focus - Dr. Sherwood's twin passions drive foundation priorities
• International scope - operates in specific countries reflecting family's global connections
• Legacy and endowment preference - focuses on creating permanent institutional capacity rather than project funding
• Heritage and culture valued - honours James Sherwood's luxury hospitality and cultural heritage legacy

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Behrens Foundation
• The Taurus Foundation
• The Dow Clewer Foundation
• The David Family Foundation
• Veronica And Lars Bane Foundation Cio
• The Schroder Foundation
• Ida Davis Family Foundation
• The Wyn And Ken Lo Memorial Foundation
• The Finborough Foundation
• The Du Plessis Family Foundation

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: The James & Shirley Sherwood Foundation (Charity No. 1194842). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5178504

• The Washington Post. “James Sherwood, shipping executive who revived the Orient Express, dies at 86.”

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art.” https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-in-the-gardens/shirley-sherwood-gallery-of-botanical-art

• The Shirley Sherwood Collection. https://shirleysherwood.com/