The Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 297901

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £237,836 (most recent year)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 2-3 months (application deadline October 1, decisions November/December, grants paid early December)
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £5,000 (typically £1,000-£3,000)
  • Geographic Focus: South West England (strong preference), North of England (secondary focus)

Contact Details

Address: 68 Circus Mews, Bath, BA1 2PW

Phone: 01225 314355

Email: not.available@present.com

Website: www.joycefletchercharitabletrust.co.uk

Overview

The Joyce Fletcher Charitable Trust was established in 1987 in memory of Joyce Irene Fletcher by members of her immediate family to continue her charitable work and interest in music, the arts, and the lives of children. The trust is administered by family trustees with no administrative staff, keeping operational costs minimal (limited to fund management, bank costs, and external examination of accounts). With total expenditure of £237,836 in the most recent financial year and income of £152,683, the trust draws on established reserves to fund charitable activities. The trustees focus their giving on organisations using music and the performing arts in social and therapeutic contexts, particularly benefiting disabled and disadvantaged children. Recent grant recipients include Bath Area Play Project (£3,000), Bath Festival (£3,000), Children's Hospice South West (£2,000), Combat Stress (£2,000), Drama Express (£1,000), and Duke of Edinburgh's Award (£3,000).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Grants Programme: £1,000 - £5,000 (typically £1,000-£3,000)

  • Capital or revenue grants, one-off or recurring
  • Fixed annual deadline (October 1st)
  • Decisions made November/December, grants paid early December
  • Application by letter only (no application form)

Priority Areas

Core Focus - Music and Arts in Social/Therapeutic Context:

  • Music in social or therapeutic contexts, especially for special needs children
  • Performing arts projects with therapeutic or social benefits
  • Projects serving disabled and disadvantaged children
  • Arts activities for children and young people's welfare

Secondary Interests:

  • Environmental issues (particularly in the South West)
  • Children and sports programmes (particularly in the North of England)
  • General charitable purposes aligned with the trust's values

Geographic Priorities:

  • Strong preference for South West England
  • Secondary focus on North of England

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals and students (grants are exceptionally rare, usually only to those already known)
  • Areas considered the responsibility of statutory funding
  • Purely professional music or arts promotions
  • Pure medical research charities
  • Projects outside their geographic focus areas
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Governance and Leadership

The trust is administered by family trustees, including:

  • Mr R. A. Fletcher OBE (Trustee)

The trust operates with no administrative staff, reflecting a commitment to directing resources toward charitable activities rather than administration. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. The trust has no trading subsidiaries.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted by letter (no application form is used). Key requirements:

  • Deadline: October 1st each year
  • Timing for New Applicants: Ideally early September
  • Timing for Previous Applicants: May apply up to the end of October
  • Send Applications To: 68 Circus Mews, Bath, BA1 2PW
  • Response: Include a stamped addressed envelope (SAE) to receive a response

Decision Timeline

  • Application Deadline: October 1st (early September recommended for new applicants)
  • Trustee Meeting: November/December
  • Grant Payment: Early December

This represents a 2-3 month timeline from application deadline to grant payment.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The trust spent £237,836 in the most recent financial year on charitable activities. With typical grants of £1,000-£3,000, this suggests the trust makes grants to several dozen organisations annually.

Reapplication Policy

The trust distinguishes between new applicants (encouraged to apply by early September) and previous applicants (may apply up to the end of October), suggesting they welcome reapplications from organisations they have previously supported. No specific restrictions or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants are mentioned.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Core Mission

The trust's focus is highly specific: music and performing arts in social and therapeutic contexts, particularly for disabled and disadvantaged children. Applications should clearly demonstrate how projects use music or arts therapeutically or socially, not merely for entertainment or professional development.

Geographic Preference

Location matters significantly. Projects in the South West of England have the strongest preference, with secondary consideration for the North of England. Applications from other regions are unlikely to succeed unless exceptionally aligned with the trust's mission.

Clear Beneficiary Focus

The trust prioritises projects serving:

  • Children with special needs
  • Disabled individuals
  • Disadvantaged children and young people

Applications should clearly articulate how these groups benefit from the proposed work.

Practical Grant Amounts

The trust provides small grants (£1,000-£3,000, occasionally up to £5,000). Applications should reflect realistic project budgets within this range. Both capital and revenue costs are considered, and both one-off and recurring grants are possible.

Examples of Funded Projects

Recent successful applicants provide insight into the trust's preferences:

  • Bath Area Play Project (£3,000)
  • Bath Festival (£3,000)
  • Children's Hospice South West (£2,000)
  • Combat Stress (£2,000)
  • Drama Express (£1,000)
  • Duke of Edinburgh's Award (£3,000)

These examples show support for both established local institutions and specialist charities working with vulnerable groups.

Application Format

With no application form and a letter-based process, applications should be concise and well-structured, clearly covering:

  • Organisation background and charitable status
  • Project description and objectives
  • How music/arts are used therapeutically or socially
  • Beneficiary groups and numbers served
  • Budget and specific amount requested
  • Project timeline
  • Geographic location

Timing Considerations

New applicants applying in early September may have an advantage as trustees have more time to review unfamiliar organisations before the decision meeting in November/December.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Apply early: New applicants should aim for early September rather than waiting until the October 1st deadline
  • Geographic alignment is critical: South West England location significantly strengthens applications; North of England is secondary
  • Focus on therapeutic/social impact: Clearly demonstrate how music or arts are used in social or therapeutic contexts, not just for entertainment
  • Target the right beneficiaries: Emphasise work with disabled, disadvantaged, or special needs children and young people
  • Keep requests realistic: Request £1,000-£3,000 for strongest fit with their typical grant range
  • Include an SAE: Include a stamped addressed envelope to ensure you receive a response to your application
  • Highlight previous success: If you've received funding before, the trust appears to welcome continued applications from previous recipients

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