The Keith Coombs Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £95,000 - £100,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (supports various sizes of projects)
• Geographic Focus: West Midlands - Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Solihull, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, and Worcestershire

Contact Details

Address: S & U PLC, 2 Stratford Court, Cranmore Boulevard, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4QT

Phone: 01217057777

Email: christineingram@suplc.co.uk

Website: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/charity/the-keith-coombs-trust

Charity Commission: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5029430

Overview

The Keith Coombs Trust (also known as The Keith and Celia Coombs Trust) was established in October 2012 by Anthony and Graham Coombs in memory of their father Keith Coombs, who served as Chairman of Birmingham City FC for 11 years from 1975 to 1985. Keith Coombs' birthday was January 10th, and the trust honours his dedication to the local community. The trust is closely associated with S&U plc, a FTSE-listed consumer and motor finance company, which supports the trust as "the fulcrum of S&U's charitable activity."

With annual giving of approximately £95,000-£100,000 (financial year ending September 2024: income £95,000, expenditure £98,716), the trust makes grants to organisations supporting children and young people with disabilities, disabled adults, education, and the arts. The trust is dedicated to supporting those who cannot immediately help themselves, with the aim of helping youngsters find the means and motivation to help themselves through equipment provision, specialist therapy, or opportunities for independence.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Keith Coombs Trust operates through ongoing grant-making rather than formal grant programs with fixed deadlines. They make grants to organisations across their priority areas, typically supporting specific projects or equipment needs.

Priority Areas

Children and Young People with Disabilities

• Physical disabilities including mobility equipment needs
• Learning disabilities
• Development of skills, capacities, and capabilities in young people
• Encouraging self-help among young people

Health and Therapy

• Cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, and stroke sufferers
• Conductive education
• Specialist therapy provision
• Preserving health and relieving sickness in the West Midlands

Education

• Advancement of education generally
• Support for pupils at the Red Boots School
• Public education about conductive education

Arts

• Promoting the arts to the general public through financial assistance
• Support for emerging talent in the arts

Geographic and Charity Preferences

• Strong preference for smaller, locally-based registered charities in the West Midlands
• Preference for charities that do not benefit from state funding
• Focus on families in the Midlands region
• Support for specific items of equipment

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the trust's focus on non-state-funded charities and specific causes suggests they are less likely to fund:

• Well-established national charities with substantial state funding
• Organizations outside their West Midlands geographic focus
• General running costs without specific project outcomes
• Organizations not working with their priority beneficiaries (children/young people with disabilities, disabled adults, education, arts)

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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Anthony Coombs (appointed October 2012) - Chairman of S&U plc, founder of the trust, and former trustee of Birmingham Royal Ballet. He also serves as a trustee of the National Institute for Conductive Education.

Trustees (9 total):

• Graham Coombs (appointed October 2012) - Co-founder of the trust, also a trustee of the National Institute for Conductive Education
• Christine Ingram (appointed October 2012) - Administrative contact for the trust
• Chris Redford (appointed September 2012)
• Demetrios Markou (appointed October 2012)
• Manjeet Kaur Bhogal (appointed September 2019)
• Victoria Bakewell (appointed November 2023)
• Alexander Coombs (appointed November 2023)
• Richard James Anthony Coombs (appointed September 2024)

No trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

No Formal Public Application Process: The Keith Coombs Trust does not appear to have a formal public application process, website with application forms, or published grant guidelines. The trust operates by identifying and supporting charities aligned with their mission, often through the trustees' knowledge of the sector and their involvement with organizations.

Contact for Enquiries: Organizations wishing to be considered for funding should contact:

• Christine Ingram at christineingram@suplc.co.uk or call 01217057777

When contacting the trust, organizations should:

• Clearly articulate how their work aligns with the trust's priority areas
• Demonstrate they are a smaller, locally-based registered charity in the West Midlands (if applicable)
• Specify if they do not benefit from state funding
• Detail specific project or equipment needs rather than general running costs
• Show how support will help young people or disabled individuals to help themselves

Getting on Their Radar

The Keith Coombs Trust has specific connections to certain organizations through trustee involvement:

National Institute for Conductive Education (NICE): Both Anthony and Graham Coombs serve as trustees of NICE. The trust has a long-standing relationship with this organization, which provides conductive education for children and adults with neurological disabilities.

Birmingham Royal Ballet: Anthony Coombs served two full terms as a trustee and board member until late 2024. The trust has supported the Ballet Now programme, providing scholarships for aspiring young choreographers and designers.

S&U plc Connection: Organizations connected to or known by S&U plc and its leadership may have greater visibility to the trust. S&U supports charities through both direct sponsorship and through the Keith Coombs Trust.

Sector Networking: Trustees' involvement in the disability and special educational needs sector suggests that organizations known through sector networks, particularly those working with cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, stroke rehabilitation, and learning disabilities in the West Midlands, may be more likely to come to the trust's attention.

Decision Timeline

No specific information is available about decision timelines. Given the trust's operational model without fixed grant rounds, decisions are likely made on an ongoing basis by the board of trustees as opportunities arise.

Success Rates

No data available on application numbers or success rates. The trust makes donations to various charities from funds raised from companies and individuals, distributing approximately £95,000-£100,000 annually.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is documented. Given the trust's ongoing relationships with certain organizations (e.g., paying for the same day of Marie Curie care for consecutive years), they appear to support organizations on a recurring basis when there is alignment with their mission.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Core Mission: The trust has a clear focus on helping young people with disabilities and supporting them to develop independence. Organizations that can demonstrate how their work enables beneficiaries to “help themselves” through equipment, therapy, or skills development are likely to be well-received.

Local West Midlands Focus: The trust has an explicit preference for smaller, locally-based registered charities in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Solihull, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, and Worcestershire. Organizations outside this geographic area are unlikely to be successful.

Non-State Funded Organizations: The trust gives preference to charities that do not benefit from state funding, suggesting they want to fill gaps not covered by government support.

Specific Equipment and Project Needs: The trust's documented support includes specific items like wheelchairs (Whizz-Kidz), days of hospice care (Marie Curie), trips for families with special needs children (Alkionides UK), and scholarships (Birmingham Royal Ballet). Applications for specific, tangible outcomes are likely to resonate more than requests for general running costs.

Disability Sector Focus: Organizations working with cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, stroke survivors, or children and adults with learning and physical disabilities are clearly within scope. The trust has particular interest in conductive education.

Connection to Trustees' Interests: The trust's support patterns show influence from trustee involvement. Organizations in the arts (especially Birmingham-based), disability services, and special educational needs that can build relationships with trustees or their known networks may have better visibility.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No formal application process exists - contact Christine Ingram directly via email or phone to make initial enquiries about potential support
• West Midlands location is critical - the trust has an explicit geographic preference for eight specific West Midlands local authority areas
• Smaller charities preferred - if you're a large, well-funded national organization, this is likely not the right funder for you
• Specific projects over general costs - frame requests around concrete outcomes like equipment, specific therapy sessions, or defined projects rather than general operating support
• Non-state funded status helps - emphasize if your work fills gaps not covered by government funding
• Connection matters - organizations known to the Coombs family, S&U plc, or in the trustees' networks (especially disability services and arts in Birmingham) may have better visibility
• Think long-term relationships - the trust appears to support organizations repeatedly over time rather than one-off grants, so building a relationship could lead to ongoing support

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Roger and Jean Jefcoate Trust
• RJ AND AH DANIELS CHARITABLE TRUST
• KATHLEEN BERYL SLEIGH CHARITABLE TRUST
• The George Goodsir Charitable Trust
• The Celia Blakey Charitable Trust
• The Loppylugs and Barbara Morrison Charitable Trust
• The Rest-Harrow Trust
• THE BASIL SAMUEL CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust
• The Bowland Charitable Trust

References

1. UK Charity Commission Register - The Keith Coombs Trust (1149791): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5029430

1. Charity Choice - The Keith Coombs Trust: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/the-keith-coombs-trust-233007

1. S&U plc Community Support: https://www.suplc.co.uk/community.html

1. Birmingham Royal Ballet - Anthony Coombs Profile: https://www.brb.org.uk/profile/anthony-coombs

1. Marie Curie West Midlands - The Keith Coombs Trust Supporter: https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/hospice-care/west-midlands/how-to-support-west-midlands-hospice/pay-for-a-day/supporters/keith-coombs-trust

1. Alkionides UK Birmingham & Midlands: https://www.alkionides.org/birmingham---midlands.html

1. Premier Christian Radio - Anthony Coombs Trustee Profile: https://www.premier.org.uk/meet-the-team/trustees/anthony-coombs/

1. Total Giving - The Keith Coombs Trust: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/charity/the-keith-coombs-trust