The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1080198

Annual Expenditure: £0.7M

Geographic Focus: Scotland, Throughout England And Wales

Stay updated on changes from The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: £730,350 (year ended 31 March 2024)
Success Rate: Not publicly available
Decision Time: Applications reviewed twice annually (approximately 3-6 months)
Grant Range: Under £2,000 - £50,000 (most grants £1,000 - £3,000)
Geographic Focus: England and Wales

Contact Details

Address: The Trustees, The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust, 14 Buckingham Street, London WC2N 6DF

Email: charities@rftrustee.com

Phone: 020 3696 6721 (also listed as 020 3696 6715)

Alternative Address: C/O RF Trustee Co. Limited, 15 Suffolk Street, London, SW1Y 4HG

Overview

The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust was established on 31 March 2000 as a charitable company in England and Wales (Charity Number 1080198). The Trust's charitable objects are broad: to promote and support charitable purposes and organisations that are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales, as the trustees decide. In its most recent financial year ending 31 March 2024, the Trust awarded £730,350 in grants, an increase from £664,295 in the previous reporting period. The Trust reports that its “most significant support” is in the area of relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage. The Trust is administered by RF Trustee Co. Limited (appointed as trustee in 2018) and has only four trustees on its board, with governance characterized by limited age diversity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Grants Programme: £1,000 - £50,000 (most grants £1,000 - £3,000)
Both one-off and recurring grants available
Rolling application basis - applications accepted at any time
Written applications only (no formal application form)

Priority Areas

The Trust supports a wide range of charitable causes, with principal focus areas including:

Relief of those in need - youth, age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage (stated as the Trust's most significant area of support)
Advancement of health and the saving of lives
Education and training
Relief of poverty
Arts, culture, heritage and science
Amateur sport
Animal welfare
Citizenship and community development
Environmental protection and conservation
Religious causes (very occasionally)

What They Don't Fund

Individuals (only registered charities may apply)
Non-charitable organizations
Organizations outside England and Wales

Ready to write a winning application for The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Trustee Structure

The Trust has only four trustees, with governance analysis indicating limited board diversity in terms of age. No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

Key Trustees:

RF Trustee Co. Limited (appointed 2018) - Corporate trustee that administers the Trust
Tara Douglas-Home (appointed 2014) - Management Consultant

Administration: The Trust is administered by RF Trustee Co. Limited, with Mrs C Scott serving as Secretary.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The Trust does not maintain a website or provide a formal application form. Applications must be submitted in writing and can be made at any time throughout the year.

Submit applications to:

The Trustees, The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust, 14 Buckingham Street, London WC2N 6DF

Or via email: charities@rftrustee.com

Alternative postal address: Mrs C Scott, Secretary, Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust, RF Trustee Co Limited, 15 Suffolk Street, London, SW1Y 4HG

Decision Timeline

Trustee Meetings: Twice annually
Typical Timeline: 3-6 months from submission to decision (depending on when application is received relative to trustee meeting schedule)
Application Deadline: None - rolling applications accepted year-round
Each application is considered on its own merits

Success Rates

Success rate information is not publicly available. In 2017, the Trust made 64 grants totalling £547,000, which provides some context for the volume of grants awarded, though the number of applications received was not disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Information on reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available.

Application Success Factors

Grant Amount Considerations

Most grants awarded are under £20,000, with the typical range being £1,000 - £3,000. While grants up to £50,000 are possible, they appear to be less common. Applicants should consider requesting amounts in the typical range for increased likelihood of success.

Broad Charitable Mission

The Trust has intentionally broad objects, supporting “charitable purposes and organisations which are exclusively charitable according to the law of England and Wales, as the trustees shall from time to time decide.” This flexibility means a wide variety of causes may be supported, but applications should clearly demonstrate charitable purpose.

Priority on Relief of Need

While the Trust supports many different causes, it explicitly states its “most significant support” is for relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage. Applications addressing these areas may align particularly well with trustee priorities.

Example Beneficiaries

The Trust has supported organizations such as Equi-Power (providing life-changing services, likely disability-related), Somerset ASA (amateur sport), and various charities working in health, education, poverty relief, arts, animal welfare, and environmental protection.

Application Quality

Since there is no formal application form, written applications should be clear, concise, and comprehensive. Include:

Clear explanation of your charitable purpose
Specific project or program requiring funding
Amount requested and how it will be used
Evidence of charitable registration in England and Wales
Impact and outcomes expected

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Wide remit but focused priorities: While the Trust supports diverse causes, emphasize alignment with relief of need due to disadvantage, particularly youth, age, ill health, disability, or financial hardship
Realistic grant amounts: Target the typical grant range of £1,000-£3,000 for better chances; grants over £20,000 appear less common
No formal application process: Prepare a well-written, professional letter application without a structured form to complete
Patience required: With only two trustee meetings per year, expect 3-6 months for decisions depending on submission timing
Rolling applications are advantageous: No deadline pressure allows time to prepare strong applications throughout the year
Registered charities only: Ensure your organization is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales before applying
Each application judged on merit: The Trust reviews applications individually, suggesting tailored, specific proposals are more effective than generic requests