The Kentown Wizard Foundation

Charity Number: 1163956

Annual Expenditure: £1.5M
Throughout England And Wales

Contact Info

Website: www.kentownwizard.org

Phone: 01253 446923

Email: enquiries@kentownwizard.org

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £33.6 million (total since 2015 to August 2025)
  • Success Rate: N/A (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation-only funding)
  • Grant Range: £26,000 - £1,500,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (primarily England), with some international work in Malawi

Contact Details

  • Website: www.kentownwizard.org
  • Email: enquiries@kentownwizard.org
  • Phone: 01253 446923
  • Address: Blackpool, Lancashire
  • Charity Number: 1163956

Important Note: The Kentown Wizard Foundation does not accept unsolicited enquiries or applications. They proactively identify and approach organisations to support through their own research and collaborations within the charitable sector.

Overview

The Kentown Wizard Foundation was established in 2015 by Kenneth Townsley, founder of Gold Medal Travel Group, who has donated or pledged over £100 million to the foundation. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded 90 grants totaling £33,632,457 to 36 grantees (as of August 2025), surpassing £20 million in grant-giving by October 2024. The foundation's mission is to have “a positive and enduring impact on the lives of children and young adults with life-threatening conditions and serious disabilities.” They operate with a flexible yet focused approach, making grants to UK registered charities whose values and objectives align with their own, with an overriding aim to give grants where they will have the greatest impact. The foundation employs 4 staff members and is led by CEO Robert Hezel (as of December 2023), with Ian Jones joining in May 2025.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with fixed amounts. Instead, they make strategic grants based on identified need and organizational capacity:

  • Major Strategic Grants: £250,000 - £1,500,000 (multi-year partnerships)
  • Medium-Scale Grants: £100,000 - £400,000 (typically 2-3 year commitments)
  • Smaller Project Grants: £26,000+ (specific project support)

Examples of recent grants include:

  • Make-A-Wish UK: £1,500,000 (ongoing partnership since 2016)
  • Dreams Come True: £1,000,000 (announced October 2024)
  • Dreams Come True: £867,500 (five-year grant for Blackpool and North West)
  • Brian House Children's Hospice: £400,000+ (three-year pledge)
  • Whizz-Kidz: £345,000 total commitment (including £250,000 grant)
  • Candlelighters: £250,000 (matched funding for Cottage project)
  • REACT Children's Charity: £150,000 (caravan replacements)
  • SELFA: £26,000 (rebound therapy program, second-year funding)

Priority Areas

  • Children and young adults with life-threatening conditions
  • Children and young adults with serious disabilities
  • Palliative and hospice care for children
  • Wish-granting organizations for critically ill children
  • Mobility and independence support for young wheelchair users
  • Medical interventions for children (including international work in Malawi focusing on cleft surgery and burns treatment)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has not published explicit exclusions. However, based on their stated mission, they focus exclusively on:

  • UK registered charities (for UK-based work)
  • Organizations supporting children and young adults
  • Life-threatening conditions and serious disabilities

Organizations outside these parameters are unlikely to be considered.

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Founder: Kenneth Townsley

  • Born 1945 in Blackpool to working-class parents
  • Founded Gold Medal Travel Group (sold to Thomas Cook in 2009)
  • Established the foundation in 2015 with a commitment exceeding £100 million
  • Quote: "I didn't want to just leave this money in my Will to benefit various charities at some point in the future. I wanted to see it being used to help those in need now, today and tomorrow and to know that my success has been put to the best possible use."

CEO: Robert Hezel (appointed December 2023)

  • Succeeded Margaret Ingram, who served as founding CEO from 2015-2023
  • During Margaret Ingram's tenure, the foundation granted over £19 million

New Senior Appointment: Ian Jones (joined May 2025)

Trustees:

  • 5 trustees in total (specific names include Richard Ingle)
  • No trustees receive remuneration or benefits from the charity

Chief Financial Officer: Anna Twentyman

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Kentown Wizard Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

The foundation states: “We actively search for organisations to support and do not accept unsolicited applications for grants. We find grantees through our own research and collaborations within the charitable sector.”

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates through invitation-only funding.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot apply or reapply as all funding is invitation-only.

Application Success Factors

For Organizations Hoping to Be Noticed

While you cannot apply directly to the Kentown Wizard Foundation, understanding what attracts their attention may be helpful:

1. Strong Track Record and Impact

The foundation supports established organizations with proven track records. Their grantees include well-known national charities (Make-A-Wish UK, Whizz-Kidz) and respected regional organizations (Brian House Children's Hospice).

2. Alignment with Core Mission

Organizations must focus on children and young adults with life-threatening conditions or serious disabilities. The foundation is highly focused and does not appear to stray from this remit.

3. Geographic or Personal Connection

Many supported organizations have connections to the North West of England, particularly Lancashire and Blackpool (Kenneth Townsley's home region). However, the foundation also supports national organizations.

4. Long-Term Partnership Approach

The foundation favors multi-year commitments (3-5 year partnerships are common), suggesting they value sustained relationships over one-off grants.

5. Projects with Maximum Impact

The foundation explicitly states their “overriding aim is to give grants where they will have the greatest impact,” suggesting they look for projects where their funding will make a transformational difference.

6. Organizational Capacity

With grants ranging from £26,000 to £1.5 million, the foundation supports organizations of various sizes, but all grantees appear to be established organizations with the capacity to deliver significant programs.

Examples of Funded Projects

  • Funding senior nursing staff salaries at children's hospices
  • Supporting wish-granting for seriously ill children
  • Providing mobility equipment and independence training for young wheelchair users
  • Building sensory gardens and therapeutic facilities
  • Supporting rebound therapy programs for children with complex needs
  • Funding international medical interventions (cleft surgery, burns treatment in Malawi)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. You Cannot Apply: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Traditional grant writing will not result in funding from this source.
  1. Build Sector Visibility: Since the foundation finds grantees through “research and collaborations within the charitable sector,” organizations should focus on building strong reputations, publishing impact reports, and networking within the children's charity sector.
  1. Mission Alignment is Non-Negotiable: Only organizations supporting children and young adults with life-threatening conditions or serious disabilities will be considered. There is no evidence of funding outside this remit.
  1. Think Long-Term: The foundation favors multi-year partnerships over one-off grants. If approached, be prepared to discuss sustained relationships of 3-5 years.
  1. North West Connection May Help: While the foundation supports UK-wide organizations, there appears to be a connection to Lancashire and the North West. Regional organizations in this area may have higher visibility.
  1. Demonstrate Maximum Impact: The foundation's stated aim is to fund where grants “will have the greatest impact.” Organizations should focus on articulating transformational outcomes rather than incremental improvements.
  1. Alternative Strategy: Rather than attempting to apply, focus on ensuring your organization appears in relevant sector directories, publishes strong impact reports, maintains an active presence at sector conferences and events, and builds relationships with other organizations in the foundation's network.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

References

  1. Kentown Wizard Foundation Official Website - https://kentownwizard.org/
  2. Kentown Wizard Foundation “About Us” - https://kentownwizard.org/about-us/
  3. Kentown Wizard Foundation “Our Founder” - https://kentownwizard.org/our-founder/
  4. Kentown Wizard Foundation “Our Work” - https://kentownwizard.org/our-work/
  5. UK Charity Commission Register - Charity Number 1163956 - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1163956&subid=0
  6. “Businessman sets up £50m grantmaking foundation” - Civil Society, 2015 - https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/businessman-sets-up-50m-grantmaking-foundation.html
  7. “Blackpool-based foundation surpasses £20 million in grant-giving” - Lancashire Evening Post, October 2024 - https://www.lep.co.uk/business/blackpool-based-foundation-surpasses-ps20-million-in-grant-giving-4837099
  8. “Dreams Come True receives a transformative £1 million grant from The Kentown Wizard Foundation” - Dreams Come True website - https://www.dreamscometrue.uk.com/25/1941/dreams-come-true-receives-a-transformative-1-million-grant-from-the-kentown-wizard-foundation
  9. Make-A-Wish UK - Kentown Wizard Foundation Partnership Page - https://www.make-a-wish.org.uk/get-involved/corporate-partnerships/kentown-wizard-foundation/
  10. Brian House Children's Hospice - Kentown Wizard Support - https://www.brianhouse.org.uk/about-us/brian-house-stories/kentown-wizard/
  11. “The Kentown Wizard Foundation announces the retirement of Margaret Ingram” - Kentown Wizard Foundation, December 2023 - https://kentownwizard.org/margaret-ingram/
  12. Kentown Wizard Foundation support for Whizz-Kidz - https://kentownwizard.org/uk-based-charity-whizz-kidz/